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Umi: The Hawaiian Boy Who Became King
For Umi, life on the lush and colorful islands of Hawaii is about as average as it can be. As commoners, he and his brothers spend their days weeding the taro field, fishing in the sparkling blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, and dreaming of the delicious foods and thrilling games that are reserved only for chiefs and priests
But late one night, when everyone is supposed to be asleep, Umi's longing for adventure gets the best of him. And when he's caught in a forbidden place by a powerful high priest, his life is turned upside down.
This tender tale of love, bravery and redemption is a bright and imaginative retelling of an ancient Hawaiian legend. Featuring beautiful illustrations by the author, Umi: The Hawaiian Boy Who Became A King is a delightful and inspiring story for big-dreaming children around the world.
But late one night, when everyone is supposed to be asleep, Umi's longing for adventure gets the best of him. And when he's caught in a forbidden place by a powerful high priest, his life is turned upside down.
This tender tale of love, bravery and redemption is a bright and imaginative retelling of an ancient Hawaiian legend. Featuring beautiful illustrations by the author, Umi: The Hawaiian Boy Who Became A King is a delightful and inspiring story for big-dreaming children around the world.
106 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1936
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March 13, 2011
Given this book was written in the 30s, it is not surprising that the writing style is incredibly stilted. I thought this might go away as I went through the book (i.e., that I might get used to this style), but, instead, it got worse. Written without any style or grace or any particular skill, this very short novel grates on just about every level. What should have been a fascinating look into this legend falls terribly flat and suffers, I'm afraid, from a lack of passion. Part of this may be due to it being told from the eyes of a haole (outsider), but I fear it mostly suffers from this because the author simply was not a very skilled writer.
It's odd for me to rate something dealing with Hawaii low, but the major flaws of this book simply don't merit anything higher.
ETA: I do have to give props to Eskridge for his beautiful illustrations which are, oddly, a bit homoerotic.
It's odd for me to rate something dealing with Hawaii low, but the major flaws of this book simply don't merit anything higher.
ETA: I do have to give props to Eskridge for his beautiful illustrations which are, oddly, a bit homoerotic.
Displaying 1 of 1 review