Lei and the Fire Goddess (Lei and the Legends #1)

by Malia Maunakea (Author)

Lei and the Fire Goddess (Lei and the Legends #1)
Reading Level: 6th − 7th Grade

Curses aren't real. At least, that's what twelve-year-old, part-Hawaiian Anna Leilani Kamaʻehu thinks when she listens to her grandmother's folktales about sacred flowers and family guardians.

Anna's friends back home in Colorado don't believe in legends, either. They're more interested in science and sports--real, tangible things that stand in total contrast to Anna's family's embarrassing stories. So when Anna goes back to Hawaiʻi to visit her Tūtū, she has no interest in becoming the heir to her family's history; she's set on having a touristy, fun vacation.

But when Anna accidentally insults Pele the fire goddess by destroying her lehua blossom, a giant hawk swoops in and kidnaps her best friend, and she quickly learns just how real these moʻolelo are. In order to save her friends and family, Anna must now battle mythical creatures, team up with demigods and talking bats, and evade the traps Pele hurls her way. For if Anna hopes to undo the curse, she will have to dig deep into her Hawaiian roots and learn to embrace all of who she is.

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ALA/Booklist

The author sensitively portrays the way her half-white protagonist wrestles with her identity . . . an exciting adventure in an uncommon, perceptively drawn setting.

Kirkus

Starred Review
This exciting, fast-paced adventure is full of humor and action. Hawaiian cultural elements are seamlessly woven into the story, giving just enough context for those unfamiliar with them without taking away from the narrative. An exhilarating, adventure-filled celebration of Hawaiian culture.

Publishers Weekly

Twelve-year-old Anna Leilani Kama'ehu, who is part white, usually loves spending her summers with her grandmother, Tu¯tu¯, in Volcano, a rainforest village in Hawaii. But her Boulder, Colo., classmates have started mocking her whenever she brings up Hawaiian stories such as Pele the Fire Goddess, prompting feelings of shame about her heritage. Now Anna isn't looking forward to her trip at all; disinterested in listening to more stories about her culture, she instead wants to "come and visit like a tourist." When Anna questions Pele's existence, Tu¯tu¯ warns her that she'd best show respect, since she's "on Pele's land now." Still disbelieving, Anna picks a sacred 'o¯hi'a lehua flower, a blasphemous act, resulting in Pele's triggering earthquakes, sinkholes, and volcanic eruptions across the island and sending a giant hawk to kidnap Anna's best friend, Kaipo. Accompanied by Ilikea, a talking bat, and Makani, the breeze, Anna must win back the goddess's favor to save Kaipo and the rest of Hawaii. Scenes peppered with pidgin dialect, Hawaiian words, and descriptions of snacks such as li hing mui gummi bears establish a keen sense of place. Anna feels too Hawaiian to fit in at school, but too haole, or white, to feel at home in Hawaii--a struggle that aptly center themes of identity and connection in Maunakea's energetic, adventuresome debut. Ages 8-12. Agent: Patrice Caldwell, New Leaf Literary. (June)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes



Malia Maunakea
Malia Maunakea (she/her/hers) is a part-Hawaiian writer who grew up in the rainforest on the Big Island before moving to a valley on Oʻahu in seventh grade. She relocated to the continent for college, and when she isn't writing can be found roaming the Colorado Rocky Mountains with her husband, their two children, and a rescue mutt named Peggy. You can find Malia online at maliamaunakea.com and @MaliaMaunakea on Twitter.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780593522035
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Penguin Workshop
Publication date
June 06, 2023
Series
Lei and the Legends
BISAC categories
JUV013030 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Multigenerational
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV074000 - Juvenile Fiction | Diversity & Multicultural
Library of Congress categories
Identity
Fantasy
Fantasy fiction
Blessing and cursing
Racially mixed people
Novels
Hawaiian mythology
Hawaiians

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