March 15, 2025
After encountering a boy in the woods, a girl on the Big Island of Hawai'i finds that she can once again see a world of spirits. During frenzied preparations for the upcoming nuptials of her sister, Pu'ulena, to her fianc�e, Naomi, small-town Mauna Loa-area girl Emma Arruda almost hits a boy from Hilo with her car. When news arrives that a resort is being built in a pristine nearby area that locals see as an unofficial wildlife reserve, Emma is distraught. Then she discovers the disheveled, confused boy, whom she dubs "Hilo," living in a lean-to in the woods, talking to invisible spirits. Emma recalls childhood memories of playing with these in-between creatures until adults discouraged her from talking about them. She knows that she should bring Hilo home, but she's conflicted, wanting to explore her reawakened abilities to see the spirits, especially after she meets the menehune, a legendary race who originally inhabited Hawai'i and whose lives are under threat from the construction. It turns out that Emma and Hilo committed offenses against nature; they need to make things right before Hilo can return to himself again. Menehune leader Koa charges them with stopping the development. Debut author Van De Car's immersive narrative weaves together issues of identity and authenticity, Native Hawaiian beliefs, environmentalism, and the inequities of economic power and development with a strong sense of place. Although the story drags a bit toward the end, the resolution is satisfying. Magically real and hopeful. (author's note)(Fiction. 13-18)
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Starred review from April 1, 2025
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Emma Arruda's life has been taken over by preparations for her sister Pu'ulena's wedding. She's happy for her sister, of course, but the transition is hard, and there isn't much time or space for Emma. To complicate things, she finds a boy she recognizes in the woods, seemingly lost but not making much sense. The mystery of this boy from Hilo leads to the discovery of a society of very real legendary menehune, small beings renowned for their ability to accomplish impossible tasks overnight. These menehune have a problem, though; a new development that has wiped out a forest is destroying the hidden temple where they reside. Emma and Koa, leader of the menehune, strike a bargain--he will help the boy if she will help the menehune stop the resort development threatening their home. Easier said than done, obviously, especially since she already has a track record of seeing imaginary creatures and the wedding to prepare for. Intensely lush atmospheric descriptions create an immersive and sensory read; an abundance of native Hawaiian plants, animals, cultural anecdotes, and traditions are lovingly rendered. Intersecting topics of nativeness and heritage, self-identification, tourism, environmental justice, folklore, and more are buoyed by a bit of romance, and the sum of all the parts manages to be both starkly realistic and surprisingly hopeful.
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