KINO and the KING

by Jen Angeli

Want to escape into an epic adventure back in time? Pick up a copy of KINO and the KING and follow Kino Kahele on her visit when Hawaii was a young nation, and the Kamehameha Dynasty ruled the land. After Kino receives a pohaku (stone), that is supposed to help Kino find her destiny, she is chased by bullies into the Hawaiian Hall at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu. She ducks into the ancient grass hut display and hides her rock in a conch shell. With a flash of bright light, she is transported to 1825 where she meets 11-year-old Kauikeaouli, just weeks before he becomes Kamehameha III, Hawaii's longest reigning monarch. Enjoy the adventure filled journey around Oahu, braving encounters with sharks, wild boars, Night Marchers, and more, while gathering the four items a kahuna said Kino needs to fulfill her destiny and return home. KINO and the KING is a novel filled with Hawaiian history, customs, language, and lore. Based on real people, places, and events, both historical and current, the story educates as it entertains. Written for middle grade, it’s an enjoyable read for kids and adults alike.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy

236 pages, Paperback

Published May 17, 2017

Reviews

[Gail Baugniet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is listed for children ages 11 and up. Certain stories, such as this one, appeal to the child in all of us. At one point, I made a note about the genre which I listed as: YA Fantasy Mythology Hawaiian-history Mystery Adventure, not necessarily in that order.

The smooth transition from present day storyline to time travel in 1825 Hawaii needs very little suspension of disbelief. The intriguing, authentically-presented experience of living in the days just before King Kam III is crowned gave me chicken skin.

The author's cleverly developed plotline along with a unique subplot held my interest throughout. I would recommend this book to readers who like entertainment plus a bit of interesting island history added to the mix. Aloha.

[Lehua Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kino and the King by Jen Angeli is a middle grade adventure quest set in Hawaii. Cutting to the chase, we need more stories like this one where island kids see themselves as the heroes and Hawaiian culture as something both amazing and ordinary, rather than sensationally exotic.

In the story, 12 year old Kino and her mother move to Hawaii to live with her maternal grandparents in Kalihi, Oahu. With her grandfather ill and her family facing eviction from their home, Kino discovers that she has an ancient destiny to save both Hawaii and her grandfather by going back in time to 1825. There she meets the young Kamehameha III just prior to his ascension to the throne. After meeting with a kahuna at a heiau, it becomes clear that in order to return to her own time, Kino must go on a quest for four objects gathered from various parts of Oahu—and of course the young prince is going to come along.

As the adventure quest plot unfolds, Jen deftly weaves in aspects of Hawaiian culture and history. Islanders will recognize kapu customs, protocol, and Hawaiian legends such as night marchers, Pele, Kamapua‘a, sacred waterfalls, ‘aumakua, choking ghosts, and magic gourds and calabashes.

1825 is a significant time in Hawaiian history, after the fall of the kapu system and during the first years of the Protestant missionaries’ influence. Hawaii is experiencing the growing pangs of contact with the wider world. In the story there’s a glimpse of the monumental civic and cultural challenges, but Jen is always conscious of her 4th – 8th grade audience and keeps the action moving. Topics are lightly touched upon in a way that can start discussions about these important topics. Kino and the King is respectful of Hawaiian history and culture. Teachers, parents, and librarians will find it provides a springboard for further reflection, study, and inquiry.

But as good as 1825 was, I gotta say I liked the modern conflicts best. Mean girls, romantic interests, class wars, private school snobbery, leasehold vs. fee simple landownership, high cost of living in paradise, afterschool enrichment classes in Hawaiian—it’s all here. Anyone growing up in Hawaii will instantly relate to Kino’s modern world—and those far from home will probably crave spam musubi reading about it.

Readers of The Niuhi Shark Saga books are certain to enjoy Kino and the King. Can’t wait for Jen Angeli’s next adventure.

Kino and the King by Jen Angeli is available in eBook and paperback from Amazon.

[R-Jeana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad but not the greatest. I love that it focuses on a mixed race child and emphasizes, multiple times the mixed ness of Hawaii and how it's a good outcome even though there were bad effects as well. I also love that it goes back into Hawaiian history and Hawaiian culture. I love anything magical or fantastical and I also loved how the stories on the island were given life even in the past. We follow Kino, a young girl who travels into the past because of a shiny stone she recieved on her birthday from her grandma. She goes back in time and alters history a bit because she goes on an adventure with one of the kings of Hawaii as a prince. He helps her retrieve ingredients for a potion to help her not only return home but heal her grandfather who suffers from a curse he got from his ancestors. I feel like Kino didn't really learn much from her journey though and I think something could've been done with that. When she returns home it's to a wealthy lifestyle and inherited land which is nice but it doesn't change any of the conflict that happened between her and the girls beforehand other than just erasing the problem which is a bit of a let down.

[Kale Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

YALO. This book is about a girl who moves to Hawaii from the mainland. Her family is Hawaiian, so it's home to them. On her twelfth birthday, her grandmother gives her an odd stone and says it will help her find her destiny. A while later, when the school bullies try to steal the stone from her, she tries to hide it and ends up transported tot he year 1825. Here, or then, she meets a young prince. Together, they travel around the island looking for the items the Kahuna said they needed to get her back home.
I really liked this book. It had some Hawaiian language, legends, and culture and it was really cool to learn about Hawaii. It was a nice, fun story that emphasized some of the amazing things about Hawaiian culture and history.

[Michela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming adventure

I enjoyed Kino's story so much, and it gave me insight into Hawaiian history and culture, which I had never explored before. This adventure spanning two different time periods moved at a steady, engaging pace. I sympathized with the main characters while admiring their bravery. This is a heartwarming tale of love and friendship (and Aloha) suitable for all ages.

[Jaclyn Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting & unique story but needed a lot more attention from an editor. The plot gets tangled up in unnecessary/uninteresting details and there are many word order and missing word errors that were awkward when reading aloud. The main character, Kino, is painfully, frustratingly obtuse. That said- we still enjoyed imaging Old Hawaii & young King Kamehameha in this story and appreciated the way it wrapped up.

[Joe Toro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book. While it's basically a story for teens, or even younger, the historical aspect of the writing appealed to my adult side. The research that went into it was so impressive, it truly impressed me. I highly recommend this to anybody interested in Hawaiian culture, or simply a gripping read.

[Erica Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was such a captivating read and great history lesson in Hawaiian culture and legends. I could not put it down. I am excited to read it again to my kids as a part of our homeschool curriculum. I will update my review to include their reactions. Happy journeying into Kino and the King <3

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has Magic Tree House vibes! While hiding from her bullies, 12 year old Kino is transported back in time to a few weeks before the coronation of King Kamehameha III. In order to get home Kino and the King go on a quest to collect items scattered around the island and encounter several creatures of Hawiian mythology on the way.

[Gina Hormann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to read this along with my daughter for her 7th grade homeschool curriculum. What a fun story!!! I loved the time traveling and learning some history of Hawaii. I also loved the use of the Hawaiian language in this book. I hope Jen Angeli writes another story like this one in the future! I definitely recommend this one!

[Erica Baxter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise of time-traveling to 1825 Hawaii. Stranded, Kino learns that she must complete a quest in order to return to her own time.

A slowish, relaxing read with lots of good references to Hawaiian culture.

[Jenni Dahling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I not only went on a vivid vacation to Hawaii, but I learned many things about the culture and more.

[Ellie · Rating 1 out of 5]

0.5

Not for me.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 10-year-old daughter and I read this together. My daughter resonated with 12-year-old Kino who has strong ties with her mother and grandparents.

Kino crawls into a grass hut at the Bishop Museum to dodge relentless mean girls. Kino conceals what the girls are after, the precious stone given to her by her grandmother, in a conch shell and finds herself transported back into 1825. Adventures abound on Kino's quest to return to her own time.

Chock full of Hawaiian history, we learned about the impact on the island's culture and monarchy as a result of colonization. We meet a young Kalani Kauikeaouli, who becomes King Kamehameha III, and must balance the new Western ways with the traditional so that his people thrive.

Angeli's written perspective is a vivid, believable 12-year-old girl's narrative, even calling out the nuances in how language has changed throughout time.

I would love to see "Kino and King" adopted as part of 5th grade US history public school curriculum.

[The Happy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is really not bad but it got annoying when Kino kept talking about cell phones and how it was a reenactment and bugging everyone. Also she keeps giving information about the future than complaining how she can't do that and then does it 5 seconds later

[Dezireen Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imaginative story with a simple plot. Time travel, school bullies, and magic makes for a slowish but entertaining read. There is no character arc or depth. Some details are left wanting, as the appearance of Pele, the goddess of volcanoes, is not explained, nor the choking ghosts, stories from Hawai'i lore. Locals from Hawai'i would certainly recognize the descriptions and relate, which is awesome, but for anyone who knows little about the culture here in the islands, they may be a little lost.

I think the publishing company's editor(s) lost an opportunity to shape this novel into a stand-out educational piece, such as including an index of historical references and a glossary of Hawai'ian terms. Compare this novel's editorial organization with The Whale Rider, by Witi Ihimaera.

Notwithstanding, it is absolutely terrific to see more stories from Hawai'i. This would be a great addition to a fifth-grade classroom literary collection for pleasure or social studies supplementary reading.

[Brielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend reading Kino and the King as a book for all ages. Although the target audience is for young readers, it is a very enjoyable book and story for any reader. I read the book prior to visiting Hawaii, where the story takes place, so I had an opportunity to see the pages come to life by visiting different locations mentioned in the book, including the infamous hut at the Bishop Museum. For those unable to see the island in person, no worries as the author very vividly (and accurately) describes the landscape perfectly. One of my favorite parts about the book is the cultural and historical references that help shape the entire story. I was able to learn about Hawaiian history in a fun way through the eyes of Kino- a sassy, silly girl who is trying to figure out her connection to her Hawaiian roots, while balancing the stress of a sick loved one, financial scares and of course middle school. Her story is relatable on so many levels and this complex character keeps you wanting to know what’s going to happen next. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and think everyone should have the chance to fall in love with Kino, Hawaii and the adventure she has, I can’t wait to see if she’ll have another or if the author has more plans in store for different parts of Hawaiian history!