Hooked by the Stars

If you like Hawai'i and Polynesian culture, this historical fiction has a plot that both adults and young adults will find intriguing. Hooked by the Stars travels back and forth through time and weaves together the quest of two young girls. The ancient tale is a historical fantasy; when magic influences the crew of a Polynesian voyage in the time of the ancestors. The modern story explores cultural diversity and coming of age on Hawai'i Island amid a changing social landscape.Meli and...
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If you like Hawai'i and Polynesian culture, this historical fiction has a plot that both adults and young adults will find intriguing. Hooked by the Stars travels back and forth through time and weaves together the quest of two young girls. The ancient tale is a historical fantasy; when magic influences the crew of a Polynesian voyage in the time of the ancestors. The modern story explores cultural diversity and coming of age on Hawai'i Island amid a changing social landscape.Meli and Lani have a lot in common, even though their lives are separated by a thousand years and their home islands are over two thousand miles apart. They are growing up without their mothers, they are both falling in love, and events beyond their control will soon change their lives. Meli lives on the island of Hawai'i in the 1930's under the watchful eye of her Aunty Min. When questions about her mother's disappearance go unanswered, she decides to follow the advice of a mysterious young man. A series of outings between Hilo and Hawi lead her to discover her family's secret. Lani lives on the island of Nuku Hiva, the archipelago that is now called the Marquesas. She must leave her home and her true love when she is chosen to join the crew of a voyaging canoe. Her father, a shaman, believes the goddess has given him a star song, but what nobody realizes is that Lani's fate is in the hands of a mischievous sorceress. The unlikely hero for both girls is Pueo, the owl. In partnership with the University of Hawai'i Foundation, Wise Bird Books LLC is donating 50% of the profits from the sale of the first edition of Hooked by the Stars to the Pueo Hui, a Citizen Science Project directed by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai'i at Manoa. Beyond the fantasy, the book has a glossary of basic Hawai'ian words and concepts, and the meaning of the character's names. The author's prologue provides information and keywords to inspire further reading and research.