A President from Hawai'i

Gr 2–5—Part biography, part portrait of the Aloha State, this book covers a lot of ground with a sunny touch. The collage artwork mixes oil paintings with postcards, headlines, and photographs of the president, Hawaiian people, buildings, and landscapes. In the same way, the text mixes information with quotes from Obama. Simple facts such as the number of islands and largest city are interspersed with biographical information about the president's life growing up there and a celebration of Hawaiian culture. "Mana is what Hawaiians call divine spirit or power. They believe it can be found in every person, rock, and flower. Hawai'i had a monarchy, which was taken away, but the people's mana was strong, and it still is today." Hawaiian words are in bold and defined, then listed in a glossary. This is not a book to turn to for reports. Instead, it will be best loved by students interested in the state, and by Hawaiians themselves.—Amelia Jenkins, Juneau Public Library, AK