Ho'onani: Hula Warrior

An empowering celebration of identity, acceptance and Hawaiian culture based on the true story of a young girl in Hawaiʻi who dreams of leading the boys-only hula troupe at her school.

Ho'onani feels in-between. She doesn't see herself as wahine (girl) OR kane (boy). She's happy to be in the middle. But not everyone sees it that way.

When Ho'onani finds out that there will be a school performance of a traditional kane hula chant, she wants to be part of it. But can a girl really lead the all-male troupe? Ho'onani has to try . . .

Based on a true story, Ho'onani: Hula Warrior is a celebration of Hawaiian culture and an empowering story of a girl who learns to lead and learns to accept who she really is--and in doing so, gains the respect of all those around her.

Ho'onani's story first appeared in the documentary A Place in the Middle by filmmakers Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson.

Author: Heather Gale
Publisher: Tundra Books (NY)
Published: 10/01/2019
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 8.60h x 11.10w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9780735264496
Audience: Ages 4-8

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 3.5
Point Value: 0.5
Interest Level: Lower Grade
Quiz #/Name: 508310 / Ho'onani: Hula Warrior


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 07/01/2019
Publishers Weekly 07/29/2019
Booklist 10/01/2019 pg. 82
School Library Journal 10/01/2019 pg. 96
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 12/01/2019
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2019 - Recommended, Satisfactory

About the Author
HEATHER GALE is a former orthotist and author originally from New Zealand. Heather loves stories of all kinds, but she especially loves those that feature real people like Ho'onani. She fell in love with the art of storytelling during long car rides, making up stories to go with the scenes flashing by. Heather has two sons and now lives in Toronto with her husband and their two dogs.

MIKA SONG grew up in Manila, Philippines, and Honolulu, Hawaii, before moving to New York to study at Pratt Institute. She studied animation and worked as an animator before getting into children's books. In 2015, she received the Portfolio Award at the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Winter Conference in NYC. An author and illustrator, Mika loves stories about sweetly funny outsiders, and recently illustrated the book Harry and Clare's Amazing Staycation and wrote and illustrated Picnic with Oliver. Mika lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.