I love Betsy Bird’s 31 Lists blog. So imagine my delight that Kaho’olawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People is included in her 2025 American History list! So grateful!
All proceeds benefit the Protect Kaho’olawe ‘Ohana. Mahalo nui to Carol Hinz and the team at Millbrook/Lerner!
What started out as a bit scary turned out to be such fun! I’d never been interviewed for public radio before, so I was nervous. 
Editor Catherine Cluett Pactol made me feel right at home.
Honestly, I can talk about the book all day, and I think I did!
Because of time and space limitations, she couldn’t include everything we’d talked about. She did a great job in focusing on the best parts for the interview.
BUT what was left out was my heartfelt aloha for the book’s wonderful illustrator, Harinani Orme. Harinani’s art is richly textured and vividly colorful and based on tons of research. She is amazing, and I am grateful to call her my friend.
Catherine asked for a photo of me with the book. Anyone who knows me knows I don’t like being photographed, but duty called! So out to our lanai I went with my husband, Tim, in tow.
Mahalo to Hawai’i Public Radio for featuring Kaho’olawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People! Read the article and listen to the interview here.
All proceeds benefit the Protect Kaho’olawe ‘Ohana. Mahalo nui to Carol Hinz and the team at Millbrook/Lerner!
I believe that all voices deserve to be heard. Mahalo to the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature Best Books of 2025 List for including Kaho’olawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People!
All proceeds benefit the Protect Kaho’olawe ‘Ohana. Mahalo nui to Carol Hinz and the team at Millbrook/Lerner!
I am so grateful that Kaho’olawe: The Story of an Island and Her People is an NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended Book! Mahalo nui to the NCTE for this honor!
All proceeds benefit the Protect Kaho’olawe ‘Ohana. Mahalo nui to Carol Hinz and the team at Millbrook/Lerner!
We’re so excited that KAHO’OLAWE: THE TRUE STORY OF AN ISLAND AND HER PEOPLE is on the New York Public Library Best Books 2025 List for Children’s Nonfiction!
All proceeds benefit the Protect Kaho’olawe ‘Ohana. Mahalo nui to Carol Hinz and the team at Millbrook/Lerner!
So very grateful that KAHO’OLAWE: THE TRUE STORY OF AN ISLAND AND HER PEOPLE is on the School Library Journal’s Best Books 2025 List for Nonfiction Elementary.
All proceeds benefit the Protect Kaho’olawe ‘Ohana. Mahalo nui to Carol Hinz and the team at Millbrook/Lerner!
Talk about a dream come true. KAHO’OLAWE: THE TRUE STORY OF AN ISLAND AND HER PEOPLE is a featured book at Barnes & Noble.
B&N is the only major bookseller on Oʻahu, so being in their window is very cool. Amazing illustrator Harinani Orme and I had fun at the book reading and signing event. But we always have fun when we’re together. It’s so rare for both author and illustrator to appear together. Talk about special!
One little boy about 7 or 8 years old, asked,
Is this is real story?
Yes, I replied. the story of Kahoʻolawe is very real.
We handed out bookmarks from the publisher and coloring pages Harinani made to the kids, then stayed to talk story with the grownups for a bit.
Mahalo to everyone who stopped by and to the good folks at Barnes & Noble for hosting us!
Photo credit: Harinani Orme
I thrilled to share that my picture book biography, AT THE WATER’S EDGE, about the amazing Native Hawaiian seaweed scientist Dr. Isabella Aiona Abbott, has been officially announced at Publisherʻs Weekly!
Dr. Abbott’s story is fascinating. She was first Native Hawaiian to earn a PhD and the first woman of color professor at Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station. While at Hopkins, she discovered over 200 species of seaweed and wrote seminal books and papers scientists use today. After retiring as professor emerita from Stanford, Dr. Abbott returned home to Hawai’i where she bridged Native Hawaiian science with Western approaches. Not surprisingly, her students are today’s leaders in marine biology and botany.
Due to be released in Spring 2027 by Lerner Publishing, the book will be illustrated by talented illustrator Remi Jose.
Mahalo nui …
Photo credit: Rokki Midro
Last Friday illustrator Harinani Orme and I had the coolest school visit! Mahalo to Pearl Ridge Elementary school librarian Lori Tonaki for inviting us to share the book with the school’s four classes of fourth graders. The students were the perfect audience — attentive and curious. Librarians have always been my heroes, and Ms. Tonaki is the kind of creative and supportive school librarian every child deserves.
What a bunch of akamai kids! They asked the best, most thoughtful questions — like why I like to write non-fiction and what the hardest thing about being a writer is. They asked Harinani when she knew she wanted to be an artist and what inspires her to create her illustrations. It was so fun for us to interact with these bright, thoughtful students.
We handed out coloring pages (mahalo, Hari!) and bookmarks to thank the kids for being with us that day.
Please enjoy these photos of the event. We took so many more photos with the kids, but I’m just including just a couple for you here (to protect the their privacy.) Aloha!
Photo credit: Lori Tonaki
On Saturday February 8, 2025, we held an epic book launch pāʻina — party. Our host was the wonderful Native Books, a Native Hawaiian owned bookshop located in the Historic Chinatown District in Honolulu. Thank to owner Maile Meyer and her staff, especially Kūakoloa Robinson, the event was magical. The space was filled with so much aloha, thanks to our many family and friends.
Illustrator Harinani Orme and I are so thankful for all of your support. We are thrilled that more kids will learn the true story of Kahoʻolawe and how the little island and her people continue to thrive today. Please enjoy these photos of the event. Mahalo nui!
