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"Stunningly illustrated in hand-colored block prints, this
tale of Lono was adapted from a translation by Mary Kawena Pukui.
Lono is a fisherman on the island of Hawai'i long ago. Loebel-Fried
is adept at creating a warm, intimate mood through her word choices.
The story begins when Lono wakes early one morning to the sound
of creaking:
'The gourd that held his hooks and lines was calling him. In the
darkness, Lono yawned and quietly gathered his fishing gear. He
made no noise since it could offend the gods and ruin his luck.
Outside in the cool air, Lono looked at the sky. There was a glimmer
of light on the horizon, but the stars still shone, and he saw that
they pointed towards Mauna.'
Lono comes to discover an amazing world of plants beneath the sea
that eventually transform. About the art, Loebel-Fried writes, 'The
technique is similar to Hawaiian 'ohe kapala, which was practiced
by highly skilled women. They decorated their kapa fabric with stamps
carved from bamboo that were dipped in natural dyes and pressed
into the cloth in geometric patterns.' The book concludes with an
insightful afterward and a thorough list of resources."
The
Honolulu Advertiser
Books
with a Feel for the Islands
By Jolie Jean Cotton
Sunday,
May 6, 2007
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