Polynesia

How lucky to have Andrea as your mentor! The illustrations are wonderful. What was it like working with Amy Matsushita-Beal?

Thank you! I agree. The closest I got to working with Amy was just suggesting the type of illustrations I was looking for.

I never actually had a chance to work with them directly, but it was one of the highlights of my year to visit Amy in Japan. She is multi-talented and extremely creative. During our meeting, we got to talk about the process. I learned, for example, that the main character was inspired by a TV character and that there were suggestions in one of the drafts that were never used. I didn’t realize how fun it would be to talk to the illustrator, and I am so glad I got a chance to!

I love the book’s back matter. How do you hope this additional content influences the reader’s experience of the book? 

Thank you, Kamalani! That means a lot to me because Kaho’olawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People was such a powerhouse of information. I hope that my readers will understand the significance of obon with that level of awareness and understanding.

But I also want readers to know that while the Bon dance has religious roots, today’s Bon dance is more about community and spending time with those you love.

In terms of the reader’s experience with the book, I hope that reading it will help them gain a deeper emotional understanding of why dancing is so important to the characters in the book and to appreciate the people behind some of the movements. While they appear simple, the hand movements often convey history, hard work, and real-life sacrifice for the Japanese people.

That’s fascinating! What do you hope teachers or librarians do with your book?

I just hope they share it! I gave a presentation once for an online class I took with author Marcie Colleen on “Windows and Mirrors.” I really hope librarians and teachers know how much I appreciate what they do, how important their roles are, and what a gift they can give children in providing both windows for children to learn about a new culture or learning something new about the Bon dance, but also mirrors for kids who want to see themselves in a book.

Mirrors and windows — what a terrific concept! What do you hope young readers will take away from your book? That is, what is the main message or feeling you hope kids get from this book?

I hope they will see themselves in it. I hope they will feel inspired and encouraged to do something that scares them and feel brave because of their own ancestors and the struggles they have been through.

Can you share a bit about what you’re working on next?

I am working on multiple manuscripts. Some about my culture. Other zany ones are about animals and dragons. I am also continuing to work on my middle-grade mystery about chocolate, which now has ghosts in it. The market keeps changing, and I like to write different things. The tricky part is finding a publishing home for them!

Mystery about chocolate and ghosts? I can’t wait for that book! Mahalo for your time and mana’o, Brandi! Visit Brandi at her website, Brandi-Ann Uyemura, and on Istagram at @brandialwayswrites.

Learn about I am a Bon Dancer in our picture book review!

Images courtesy of Brandi-Ann Uyemura

Congratulations on your debut picture book! There are not a lot of books for kids by Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander writers. Why do you think that is? What do you think we can do the change that?

Thank you! My grandma was a great storyteller. We would holoholo around the island and she’d tell fantastic stories about every area, but she was rarely interested in writing those stories down. For most of our culture’s existence, there wasn’t a need for books because we passed things down orally. As our world changed, books became more important. Now there is a need for children’s books by Pacific Islander writers. There are many efforts by local organizations to create books for our children, and there is a small but growing community of Pacific Islanders in U.S. traditional publishing. Even with all the current work being done, there is room for much more.

The CCBC found that only .002% of the books published in 2021 that they received were by Pacific Islanders (Link). That number doesn’t include the books published locally, only nationally. My biggest goal for my writing and my social media is for our children to have accessible books that mirror their life. Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop stated, “When children cannot find themselves in the books they read…they learn a powerful lesson about how they are devalued in the society of which they are a part” (Link). In order for there to be more books by, about, and for Pacific Islander children, there needs to be more Pacific Islanders in every sector of the publishing world. We should all be helping to lift and build others up to ensure that our children have access to our stories.

I’m really excited about the growing number of Māori and Pasifika authors in Aotearoa. The work they are doing there is truly inspiring. I’m hoping there will be more upcoming Pacific Islander authors in the U.S., especially those of Micronesian and Melanesian descent. Many people have reached out to me asking specifically for books from those communities. We definitely need more books for all of Oceania.

We agree! So what inspired you to choose Sāmoan dance for your debut novel?

I am a dancer. I grew up dancing hula, but I always loved watching older girls dance the taualuga. I thought they were the most beautiful and graceful dancers. As I grew older, I learned how to dance the Samoan siva and slowly came to understand the meaning behind the dance. In some ways, this picture book is a reflection of my own life. And in other ways, it’s reflective of how I want to pass on this traditional knowledge to my own children.