In "A Note to the Reader", the editors say, "In the words and pictures of Hawaiian children, this unique book is a living history of our islands. To achieve it, we asked our children to paint or write about their Hawaii; what they understand about how Hawaii came to be". Compiled from more than six thousand entries, it's a warm and wonderful selection of stories, drawings and paintings.

The images are fresh and imaginitive, starting with a blazing pink and orange sun over a turbulent ocean..."In the middle of the Pacific Ocean there was nothing. Hawaiian people were not born yet. If we were born, what would we stand on ?".
There are two fabulous paintings depicting the volcanic activity that was the beginning of the islands, describes how they became populated, its kings and queens, the missionaries, etc. In the last chapter, there is a rather gloomy prediction of "what Hawaii will be like" (in 2000), with highways, bridges, and "super canoes".

There are two pages that list the names of the 253 children who contributed to this book, but the individual pictures and stories are not credited. Published nearly 30 years ago, it makes one wonder what happened to these creative children, and if they are still expressing themselves with as much color, wit, and sincerity.

I used this book when I began weaving lauhala. Descriptions are accurate, illustrations profuse. Begins with a weaving process that is good for someone working alone. Moves from simple basket weaving to advanced topics, fans. Every weaver I know, here on the island of Hawaii, has a copy in their library.

This book provides excellent information about every major paved road in Hawaii, including elevation profiles. I found it invaluable in planning my tours of the islands. I wish every state had books that covered them this well. The only (minor) shortcoming was that the listing of inexpensive motels/B&Bs was incomplete, a gap which was easily filled by any of the general tourist books on Hawaii, such as the Lonely Planet guide.

There is good reason for this book being in print after almost twenty years. It includes some excellent essays on Chuang-tzu, a "Taoist," and one of the greatest philosophers and literary stylists in Chinese history.

Chuang-tzu is perhaps best known for his anecdote of how he dreamed that he was a butterfly and awoke from the dream, unsure of whether he was a man who had dreamed that he was a butterfly, or a butterfly who was now dreaming that he was a man. Also famous is his story of the butcher whose skillful dismembering of an ox is, surprisingly, a model for how we should lead our lives.

Chuang-tzu is always a delight to read, but it is also a great challenge to try to figure out what he is trying to communicate to us (if anything!). The essays in this anthology are "experimental" in that they explore the writings of Chuang-tzu from a variety of perspectives. Especially worthy of note are the essays by A.C Graham, Chad Hansen, and Lee Yearley. Graham argues that Chuang-tzu gives us a way for dealing with the troubling gap between "is" and "ought" (between the way things are and the way they ought to be). Hansen argues that Chuang-tzu is a relativist, for whom there is no objective truth. Yearley suggests that we see two different images of the "perfected person" in Chuang-tzu. One is a person who is much like the rest of us, except that she takes less seriously the commitments that make most of us so prone to suffering. The more radical vision is that of a strange, alien sage, who could look on the death of his own wife as an interesting aspect of the great spectacle of change. The other essays in this collection offer many other interesting suggestions and perspectives.

Good translations of the writings of Chuang-tzu (also written "Chuang Tzu" and "Zhuangzi") include those by Burton Watson (who wrote the Foreward to this anthology) and Victor Mair. Another excellent (and more recent) anthology of essays on Chuang-tzu was edited by Philip J. Ivanhoe and Paul Kjellberg.

Compromising the second part of Murayama's proposed tetralogy, this intimate portrayal of Sawa Oyama's journey from Hiroshima, Japan, to a fictionalized plantation in Hawai'i is poignant and unique. Murayama has the uncanny ability to evoke various aspects of the issei (first-generation) experience: the laborious demands made on the plantation females and males, the hegemonic power structure of the white plantation owners and the dedication of the issei to their children (no matter what the cost).

Why do I really enjoy this novel? Well, as a fifth generation Japanese-American, I cannot help but have an interest in the way my ancestors made sacrifices on my behalf. There are few novels out there that explore the themes of issei dislocation, disappointment (many thought they could return to Japan after only a few years), and gradual acceptance and appreciation for Hawai'i. This being said, I feel that Murayama does a good job of incorporating these themes, keeping the hopes and dreams of his ancestors lovingly preserved in the pages of his work. Mahalo.

I used this book with several other books on Hawaii to research several of the islands when we weren't sure which one(s) we would be visiting. Because we decided on Kauai, I have read that section the most, but also read or skimmed sections on several of the other islands.

Fodor's always provides pretty good information and this guide book is no exception. It covers Oahu, Maui, The Big Island, Kauai, Molokai, and Lanai, as well as a final chapter called Background and Essentials with history and general travel tips about Hawaii.

Each Island chapter contains the following sections: Exploring, Beaches, Dining, Lodging, Nightlife and the Arts, Outdoor Activities and Sports, Shopping, and A to Z.

Lodging and Restaurant reviews are categorized by price with stars next to Fodor's favorites. The only complaint I have about the lodging reviews is that not all of them give you a good idea of how close to the beach the hotel/condo is. Oceanside in Kauai is not the same as beachside, and many hotels/condos that have an ocean view are not on a beach, rather a rocky shore or seawall. Also, many of the resorts are on the beach but there is a lot of space between the actual loding and the ocean. If you like to be able to hear the crashing waves, this is important. I ended up looking up all of the lodgings I was interested in on the internet to make sure the siting was acceptable.

All in all though, for a book that covers all the islands in a good bit of detail, it's a good resource. It's been very helpful to me in planning our trip.

This book was wonderful. I took it with me on my trip to Hawaii and it was a wonderful source of information and history. I visited more places and ate at twice as much resturants than ever before. This book was well written; including so much history.You can tell it was written by someone who really knew the island. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who is planning a trip to Oahu or for someone who is just dreaming of it.

On my trips to the Islands, I've found this book to be an excellent source of hotel, B&B, and restaurant recommendations. It is not the best overall guide, but it IS the best source of info for the above items. I've found that by taking this book along with the Lonely Planet (which is the best overall guide but is weak on lodging & restaurants) I have all the info I need to plan & enjoy my vacations to Hawaii.

I've used this book for travel to Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island, and have never found any of the reviews to be far off base. Highly recommended!

When this book is paired with John P. Hoover's Hawaii's Fishes: A Guide for Sorkelers, Divers, and Aquarists, you will be able to identify virtually any fish you see while snorkeling or diving along Hawaii's reefs and shores. A scholarly (but user-friendly) collection of photographs and data, this book provides very close side views of virtually all the fishes one is likely to see and detailed descriptions of each. In order to provide these views, the author uses photos of preserved specimens, all laid on their sides against black or light green backgrounds. This shows the anatomical details of each fish extremely well and will enable the reader to see real differences between many seemingly similar fishes. The disadvantage to this approach, however, one which the Hoover book corrects, is that frequently the preserved specimens have lost some of their color and are not nearly as bright as they are in life. This is an extremely helpful resource book when it is combined with a book which shows these fishes in their natural habitat.

Hale-Mano, a young noble from Oahu, falls in love with a beautiful young woman who comes to him each night in his dreams. His sister Laenihi, an expert in magic and healing, tells him who his love is, and how he can win her. She is Kama, who is lives a secluded life on the big island, promised in marriage to either the king of Puna or the king of Hilo. Hale-Mano's quest for Kama's love takes him through learning to be a farmer, learning to be a chanter, and learning to please a wife. Kama is forced into a quest of her own, one in which she learns the importance of love.

This is a wonderful story, offering a unique window into early Hawaiian life and beliefs. Indeed, the book contains notes on pronouncing Hawaiian words, and a glossary of real Hawaiian words used in the text. I am a fan of Fantasy stories, especially those in exotic locations, and this book is as good as many that I have read. So, if you are interested in ancient Hawaii, or are a fan of stories filled with magic, then this book is for you.