Each of these children’s books about Hawaii can be a beautiful gift and an exciting journey to the tropical islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Last updated: December 24, 2024
Entertaining and Educational Children’s Books about Hawaii
Book is a beautiful gift you can give to your kids. Whether they can read by themselves or listen to your reading while getting lost in an exciting story told in the colorful pictures, the volume of knowledge and entertainment one of these little treasures brings is unmatched.
Some people buy magnets from new places they visit. We buy books, both adults and kids books. Dylan got his first children’s books about Hawaii almost two years ago when I visited the island of Maui. During our last trip to Oahu and the Big Island, he was the initiator of our book shopping spree.
We walked into a small bookstore in downtown Honolulu that sells adult and children’s books about Hawaii by Hawaiian authors barehanded. An hour later, a large brown paper bag with a dozen paperbacks and hardcover books (only one of them for my afternoon reading) hung from my hand as we were leaving the store.
Dylan carried one children’s book by a Hawaiian author, perusing it while walking. Only samosas, his favorite food, were able to divert his attention from the reading to eating. At least for a while.
If you are looking for a good story to gift to your kids this year, check out these enthralling children’s books about Hawaii written by local authors or zealots of the tropical islands.
8 ENGROSSING BOOKS ABOUT HAWAII FOR KIDS
1. Hawaii’s Strangest Ickiest Wildest Book Ever
A children’s book about Hawaii’s animal kingdom and history by Kathryn Drury Wagner
Have you heard about “zombie’ cockroaches or scorpionfish? Do you know that curious mongoose can cause wreckage in bird’s nests? Are you familiar with a goats’ story on the Hawaiian Islands? Well, get ready for your head to explode not by reading, but by your curious little ones educating and then quizzing you on all things Hawaii, including tropical animals and insects, history, and much more.
Hawaii’s Strangest, Ickiest, Wildest Book Ever may look small, but it’s loaded with ample interesting facts, stories, data, and practical advice, such as how to catch or get rid of cockroaches. Yucky! But guess what? You can apply this simple trick from the children’s book to eliminate the uninvited guests from your home whether you live in Hawaii and outside the islands.
2. The Brave Little Turtle
A little children’s book about friendship by Gill McBarnet
Nani and Lono are two little turtles. They’ve been friends since they hatched out of their eggs on a beach. Always together, but so different, the turtles explore the great ocean they call home. Teased by Lono, Nani tries to push herself harder and be as brave as her friend. But at the end of the day, she still feels like one timid ocean creature.
Nani doesn’t realize how brave she actually is until Lono gets in trouble and almost dies. It’s up to Nani now to save her best friend and teach him a valuable lesson.
The Brave Little Turtle will be one of your kids’ favorite book companions for years. After reading the story many times in a row, the children may even name every turtle they spot on Hawaiian beaches Nani or Lono.
3. Discover Hawaii’s Volcanoes: Birth by Fire
An educational children’s book about the Hawaiian Islands by Katherine Orr and Mauliola Cook
The book Discover Hawaii’s Volcanoes narrates about everything its title promises: volcanoes and their role in shaping the Hawaiian Islands, its flora and fauna, something that your kids may like the most. You will find old legends, true facts about geology lessons of all major islands, as well as some contemporary discussions about energy and land protection.
Written in an easy to understand language, this paperback promises to change your child’s view not only about Hawaii, but the entire world.
4. Honu and Moa
A classic children’s story with a Hawaiian twist by Edna Cabcabin Moran
Moa, a proud and boastful rooster, provokes Honu, a wise Hawaiian green sea turtle, to have a race to determine who owns and can use a clear spring.
The next morning, Honu sets off on a racing adventure with determination, without wasting any time. Too confident in his physical abilities, Moa, on the other hand, sleeps in and later gets sidetracked right when he is about to reach the spring. The slow and steady Honu ends up winning the race and teaching his overconfident neighbor a good lesson.
Honu and Moa is a modified classic children’s book set in Hawaii and intertwined with beautiful islands’ nature and intriguing Hawaiian culture. With vibrant illustrations by the author herself, this hardcopy will become one of the favorite books of your little listeners and early readers.
5. Calvin Coconut
A Hawaiian children’s book about family, friends, and importance of making a choice by Graham Salisbury
Calvin Coconut is like any other boy that grows up in Honolulu. Except he is not like every other kid. His parents are divorced. His dad moved away to the mainland, became a famous pop singer that performs in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Now after four years after their last bye at the airport, Calvin’s dad is coming back to Oahu. Everybody wants to go to a favorite singer’s concert. The problem is, Calvin’s family has only ten tickets. The boy has to choose who gets the last one.
6. Lei and the Fire Goddess
A Hawaii-set book for older children and teenagers by Malia Maunakea
Twelve-year-old part-Hawaiian Anna Leilani Kama’ehu lives with her family in Colorado. Every summer she travels to the Big Island of Hawaii to spend a few weeks with her grandmother who makes sure the girl learns and remembers their family’s history.
At one point, old Hawaiian legends and living in a rainy town off the tourist radar was ok, more than ok. But Anna has grown older now. She longs for different experiences – sandy beaches, a tiny umbrella in her soft drink – everything her grandmother doesn’t do.
This time around, the girl decides to have a different Hawaiian vacation, touristy and fun. While trying to have a holiday of her dreams, Anna accidentally insults Pele, a fire goddess. A colossal hawk, Pele’s servant, swoops in and kidnaps the girl’s best friend who is also her family’s ‘aumakua, a guarding animal. Anna has no choice but to dive into Hawaiian culture and explore her Hawaiian roots to save her ‘aumakua.
Lei and the Fire Goddess is one of the best children’s books to immerse yourself into the Hawaiian world of tales, legends, traditions, and customs. Linking real places with old Hawaiian myths, it’s an engrossing read for kids and their parents.
7. Lei and the Invisible Island
The second part of the Hawaii-set children’s book about Lei Kama’ehu by Malia Maunakea
Lei succeeds at rescuing her best friend and ‘aumakua. Yet something is not right. Instead of an always happy, thoughtful, and never complaining boy, she gets back a grouch. Something else is missing: Kaipo’s ‘aumakua pendant. Without him, the boy will soon rot emotionally and physically.
Once again, Lai sets off on an adventure to get back the missing pendant and save her best friend. This time, the girl and her friends travel to an invisible island and then Oahu where they have to prevent evil spirits from taking over the islands.
Lei and the Invisible Island will capture the attention of not only Hawaii-loving kids and their parents, but also those children who can rarely be caught holding a book in their hands.
8. The Legend of the Laughing Gecko
A Hawaiian fantasy book for children of all ages by Bruce Hale
The Legend of the Laughing Gecko is Dylan’s favorite children’s book we picked at Native Books in Honolulu.
Joyful Moki always gets in trouble because of his laugh that shakes the leaves off the trees and frightens fish in the sea. This very same laugh brings disgrace and embarrassment to his entire family during a ceremony of ‘aumakua choosing.
Things turn around and earn a great respect to the laughing gecko’s clan once Moki saves the king’s youngest daughter.
