Emily's Hawaii

by Ruth M. Tabrah, Pat Hall (Illustrator)

During a year in Hawaii, twelve-year-old Emily visits various places of interest, and develops a sense of belonging there, even though she is a haole.

191 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1986

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

My parents brought this book back from Hawaii for me. It was fun to read a somewhat dated (1964) book geared to young adults. I laughed at the slang the kids used and the formal way the author writes. There were a lot of little tidbits of the language, food, and scenery of Hawaii. I enjoyed some beef jerky while reading this book because Emily describes a dried beef dish from the pupus that sounded so tasty. Oberto was the closest thing I could find. I went to HI when I was 15, and I would love to go again and see the places of refuge, caves, and beaches Emily visited on the island. The storyline comes second in this book of "adventure" to the details and observations made by Emily.
I enjoyed the openmindedness of Emily's family while faced with a new culture (or many new cultures since HI is made of an eclectic group of early settlers) when compared to a neighbor who told the new tenants that they can expect about 60 friends, since that was the number of white people in the area. I'll definitely have Abby read this book when she's older.

[Rebekah Sheppard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good insight to a time in Hawaii long gone.