April is a special time in Hawai‘i. Marking not only the early days of spring, April is also Native Hawaiian Plant Month, celebrating the rich biocultural diversity of our over 1,400 native plant species. This auspicious month also arrives in 2025, which has been declared the Year of Our Community Forests. The mission of this year is to promote caring for the trees in our wao kanaka, the communities where we live, learn, and play.

Yet there is a renewed urgency to this year’s Native Hawaiian Plant Month. At a time when both endangered species as well as public lands housing important ecosystems are at risk of exploitation and decimation, it’s vital now more than ever that we read, learn and actively engage in conservation efforts to protect and preserve native species.

To curate our recommended reading list, we spoke with Danya Weber. A conservation biologist and local artist, Weber is also founder of Laulima, a fashion and home goods brand that’s raised more than $50,000 for more than 20 Hawai‘i nonprofits and conservation efforts.

SEE ALSO: Celebrate Hawai‘i’s Trees During the Year of Our Community Forests

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Nā Lei Makamae: The Treasured Lei

by Marie A. McDonald and Paul R. Weissich

Selected by Danya

Containing some of the most beautiful photographs I have ever seen, Nā Lei Makamae showcases a plethora of lei made from an impressive diversity of native Hawaiian plants, many of which are quite difficult to find today given perils that native species have faced over the last few centuries. Not only does this book highlight incredible ephemeral artworks made from flowers, foliage, fruits, and seeds, but it also provides botanical information about plants’ natural ranges, historical uses, and significances in mo‘olelo. Altogether, Nā Lei Makamae inspires a deep appreciation for Hawai‘i’s unique and magnificent native flora.

SEE ALSO: Fashion Designer and Lei-Maker Meleana Estes Launches A New Book

Looking for more titles on native plants and nature conservancy? Check out our bookseller recommendations:

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Lā‘au Hawai‘i: Traditional Hawaiian Uses of Plants

by Isabella Aiona Abbott

Recently reissued by Bishop Museum Press, this vital work of ethnobotany by the great Isabella Aiona Abbott is a comprehensive guide of traditional Hawaiian plants used for food, clothing, shelter, transport, religion and recreation. Abbott’s goal is intentional and admirable: by studying the ways people of old Hawai‘i cultivated and depended on lā‘au Hawai‘i (Hawaiian plants) to meet their needs, Abbott wished to glean insight into their meaningful relationship to the natural environment we collectively call home. Over 30 years past printing, and Abbott’s words continue to ring true: “There is no time to lose in protecting these plants, upon which the authentic revival of many Hawaiian cultural elements depends.”

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Plants in Hawaiian Culture

by Beatrice H. Krauss

Plants in Hawaiian Culture is a fantastic introduction to the ethnobotany of Hawai‘i, which highlights the relationship between native plants and people. In this book, Krauss pays special attention to native plants, which include endemic species found only in Hawai‘i, Indigenous plants and Polynesian-introduced plants. Complete with photos of habitat views, beautiful line drawings, and detailed descriptions, Krauss shares information on early Hawai‘i and the native plants used in food, crafts, houses, instruments, games, medicine and more.

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Under the ‘Ōhi‘a Tree

by Erzsi Palko

We could not be more excited for Erzsi Palko’s thoughtful meditations on the beautiful ‘ōhi‘a tree and the diversity of native forest species it supports and sustains. From the pueo that invites the reader into the book to the endemic forest birds that subsist off the ‘ōhi‘a tree’s sweet nectar to the kāhuli dreaming under an ‘ōhi‘a leaf, this is a dazzling and informative picture book we simply can’t put down. Complete with detailed notes about Hawai‘i’s Native Species across the Hawaiian Islands and even an informal pronunciation guide, Under the ‘Ōhi‘a Tree is a beautiful love letter to native forest species and “those who love them and act on their behalf.” Keep your eye out for this stunning picture book forthcoming from Bess Press!

Da Shop: Books + Curiosities, 3565 Harding Ave., open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., (808) 421-9460, dashophnl.com, @dashophnl

Photo: Courtesy of Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs

Prince Kūhiō Parade

Saturday, March 29, 5 p.m.

Celebrate the birthday of the People’s Prince by cheering on colorful floats, trolleys, marching bands and equestrian groups as they march through Kapolei. The parade ends at Ka Makana Ali‘i’s center stage with a free concert, food and crafts vendors.

Family-friendly, free, route along Kapolei Pkwy. from Kapolei Hale to Ka Makana Ali‘i, aohcc.org, @hawaiiancivicclubs

SEE ALSO: Your Insider Guide to Keiki Street Festival

Image: Courtesy of Maui Public Arts Corps

Hui Mo‘olelo: Lāhainā Film Festival

Thursday, March 27, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

For the first time, this annual Maui-based film showcase is making its way to O‘ahu. See five animated shorts that celebrate Lāhainā’s rich history, culture and sense of place. Each piece is inspired by talk-story excerpts from Lāhainā residents, highlighting personal memories and historical narratives that have been passed down through generations. You’ll also be able to engage with the filmmakers and storytellers during a live Q&A session.

RSVP

Free, Waiwai Collective, 1110 University Ave., mauipublicart.org, @mauipublicart

SEE ALSO: ‘Ōpio Fest is HIFF’s New Signature Spring Showcase—and Tickets Are On Sale Now

Photo: Courtesy of Pacific Expos

FoodieCon & Spring Expo

Saturday, March 29, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Sunday, March 30, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Come hungry and taste your way through more than 200 booths selling everything from treats and snacks to noodles and skewers. All food vendors will offer a $7 plate option, meaning you can try a few without breaking the bank.

Family-friendly, $6 general admission, $4 senior and military admission, free for keiki 12 and under, Neal S. Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall, 777 Ward Ave., pacificexpos.com, @pacificexposhawaii

SEE ALSO: Your Insider Guide to the Hawai‘i Triennial

Photos: Courtesy of Susanna Moore

Book Reading and Signing with Susanna Moore

Saturday, March 29, 2 to 4 p.m.

Jump on this rare chance to meet author Susanna Moore as she returns home to Hawai‘i for this special event. Hear passages from her memoir and other recent works, including The Lost Wife—a novel praised in HONOLULU Magazine’s inaugural HONOLULU Book Awards—listen to a talk-story session and get copies of the books signed.

RSVP

Free, Da Shop: Books + Curiosities, 3565 Harding Ave., dashophnl.com, @dashophnl

SEE ALSO: Feed Your Artistic Appetite With Fishschool Classes

Mayor’s Town Hall Meetings

Thursday, March 27, through Thursday, June 5

It’s your chance to be heard! Mayor Rick Blangiardi is making his rounds to neighborhoods across O‘ahu to meet you face-to-face and find out what matters to you most. The town hall meetings kick off in Nānākuli and continue at six more locations through June 5:

• Thursday, March 27, 7 to 9 p.m., Kalaniana‘ole Beach Park, Nānākuli
• Thursday, April 10, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Historic Hale‘iwa Gym
• Thursday, April 24, 7 to 9 p.m., Mililani High School, Mililani
• Thursday, May 1, 7 to 9 p.m., Kahuku High School, Kahuku
• Thursday, May 8, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Castle High School, Kāne‘ohe
• Thursday, May 22, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Radford High School, Salt Lake
• Thursday, June 5, 7 to 9 p.m., Kalani High School, East O‘ahu

Free, www8.honolulu.gov, @mayorrickhnl

The art and science of wayfinding has a rich and meaningful place not only in Hawai‘i’s history, but also in cultures throughout Oceania. Long before the advent of modern GPS, the people across the Pacific Islands relied on their study of the stars, sun, waves and other natural indications to navigate the open seas. In an effort to reclaim and perpetuate traditional knowledge for future generations, Hōkūle‘a was launched from the sacred shores of Hakipu‘u-Kualoa on March 8, 1975. Over the last 50 years, she has sailed more than 140,000 nautical miles across the Pacific while completing 15 deep-sea voyages.

More than just a milestone birthday for Hōkūle‘a, the forthcoming 50th is also a celebration of the wayfinding history and legacy that unites the Pacific peoples and a call to action for the future of environmental stewardship. In launching their vision, the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) ushers forth a renewed focus on “protecting the earth’s oceans, fostering indigenous knowledge, and inspiring the next generation to embrace the values of Mālama Honua.”

In the spirit of voyaging for a better future, we’re proud to highlight these adult and children’s books that connect cultures and people from across the Pacific to celebrate the tradition of wayfinding.

SEE ALSO: Hōkūle‘a’s 50th Anniversary

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Mālama Honua

by Jennifer Allen

A stunning collection of photographs, narrative, and voices, Mālama Honua is a comprehensive account of Hōkūle‘a’s 2014 Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage, a 42,000-mile open-ocean journey around the world using only ancient Polynesian wayfinding techniques. Here, we hear from the navigators themselves, along with the scientists, educators, and even children who’ve been touched by Hōkūle‘a and engaged in championing its mission to raise awareness of and nurture worldwide sustainability.

Canoes of Oceania

by Alfred C. Haddon / Haddon & Hornell

Originally published as a trilogy in 1936 and 1938, Canoes of Oceania is a classic work that’s now widely regarded as an encyclopedic source of information about the ocean-going vessels of the Pacific. It’s believed that founders of the Polynesian Voyaging Society had consulted this text in their early days, spending hours in the Bishop Museum Archives where Canoes of Oceania first emerged. Intensively researched and thoughtfully compiled, Canoes of Oceania is a necessary and invaluable work.

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Reawakened: Traditional Navigators of Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa

by Jeff Evans

Reawakened features interviews with 10 master navigators from Aotearoa New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Hawai‘i, all of whom were trained under Mau Piailug, Micronesian master navigator from the island of Satawal. While each navigator offers their own unique stories, braided throughout the book is the joyful renaissance of tradition and ancestral knowledge around Pacific voyaging, recalling for readers the shared heart that beats behind this vital practice.

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Eddie Wen’ Go: The Story of the Upside-Down Canoe

by Marion Lyman-Mersereau

To introduce young readers to the legacy of Hōkūle‘a, we recommend Eddie Wen’ Go, a moving and inspirational tale of courage at sea. In this heartwarming picture book, author and Hōkūle‘a crewmember Marion Lyman-Mersereau imagines a continuation of beloved waterman Eddie Aikau’s paddling mission through the perspective of the creatures in the sea and the sky who were present in the water on that fateful day. Through eye-catching illustrations and an unforgettable story penned by Lyman-Mersereau, little readers will come to understand a vital part of Hawai‘i’s history.

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Pathway of the Birds: The Voyaging Achievements of Māori and Their Polynesian Ancestors

by Andrew Crowe

Lauded for its extensive research comprising over 400 maps, diagrams, photographs, and illustrations, Pathway of the Birds is a major scholarly work investigating the history of voyaging throughout Polynesia with a focus on Māori navigators. Grounding the book is a compelling story of migration and human ingenuity that’s written for audiences both general and scholarly. This is a wonderful book for readers of all interests.

To learn more about the 50th birthday of Hōkūle‘a and to follow along with her continuing journey, visit hokulea.com.

Da Shop: Books + Curiosities, 3565 Harding Ave., open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., (808) 421-9460, dashophnl.com, @dashophnl

Photo: Courtesy of Kamalani Hurley

Kanaka maoli (Native Hawaiian) author and educator Kamalani Hurley has brought the story of Kaho‘olawe and her community to beautiful life in her debut nonfiction picture book Kaho‘olawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People. Illustrated by fellow Native Hawaiian artist Harinani Orme, Kaho‘olawe is a powerful love letter to Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe and a tale of aloha ‘āina, depicting the capacity humans possess to hurt and heal the land. While the story of Kaho‘olawe can be read as one of loss and erasure, Hurley also reminds us how it’s a story of dedication, restoration and resilience.

BUY THE BOOK

Committed to championing the urgent work of activists involved in the 40-plus year fight to protect and restore Kaho‘olawe, Hurley is donating all proceeds earned from the book to the Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana (PKO), a moving gesture of solidarity with the activists and volunteers who continue to fight valiantly against social and environmental injustice.

Megan Kamalei Kakimoto, author and bookseller at Da Shop: Books + Curiosities, interviewed Hurley to discuss her inspiration for the book, her publication journey and the message with which she hopes to leave her readers.

SEE ALSO: Writing Into Peril: A Conversation With Local Author Jessie Ren Marshall

MKK: Huge congratulations to you and Harinani on the publication of Kaho‘olawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People! I enjoyed this book so very much. What inspired you to write this important story?

KH: Mahalo nui! Like a lot of Native Hawaiians growing up in the 1960s, I didn’t know much at all about Kaho‘olawe. I believed the stories I had heard about it being a barren rock. It was the second Hawaiian renaissance of the 1970s that opened my eyes to our true history. The 1970s were a volatile time here, and those of us old enough to remember can recall the Hawaiian-led protests around Kalama Valley, Waiāhole-Waikāne and Kaho‘olawe. I am thankful for those Native Hawaiian activists who helped lead us back to our ‘ike kupuna (ancestral knowledge.)

MKK: Did you always see this as a nonfiction picture book for children? If so, why?

KH: Yes. Although my original plan was to write a book for middle graders, it was always going to be nonfiction. Kaho‘olawe is the true story of how young Native Hawaiians organized a grassroots effort that dared to face down the mighty United States military. Their resolve to risk everything for aloha ‘āina—a deep love of the land—is a beacon for the Hawaiian people and for people everywhere who fight against social and environmental injustice. There’s no more compelling story than that, I think.

MKK: The story of Kaho‘olawe is urgent, complicated, and in many ways very painful. What was it like navigating the story, particularly as a Native Hawaiian writer?

KH: It’s true: Kaho‘olawe was often difficult to write about. After all, the story is of loss and erasure and of cultural and environmental destruction. But the story is more than that. To me, Kaho‘olawe is about resilience and restoration of the island and her people. Hope—in oneself, in one’s community—is the real story I want my readers to take away.

Photo: Courtesy of Kamalani Hurley

MKK: How did your artistic partnership with Harinani Orme come to fruition?

KH: When I first signed with my amazing editor, Carol Hinz of Lerner, I asked that because of the deeply cultural and spiritual nature of the story that the illustrator be Native Hawaiian. Carol readily agreed. There are many talented ‘ōiwi artists and illustrators, and I’m so grateful to have had the chance to work with Harinani. She is an artistic genius.

MKK: In an interview for Leeward Community College, I read about how you also worked closely with the Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana in putting this work together. Could you share more about what this partnership looked like?

KH: I decided from the very beginning that the book could only be created with the input and encouragement of PKO. To be pono, I have pledged 100% of my proceeds of sales of the book to PKO. Mahalo nui to Dr. Davianna McGregor and her leadership team, who vetted the drafts and provided feedback before the book went to publication.

MKK: What has the publication journey looked like for Kaho‘olawe? Would you be willing to share how the book found its publishing home?

KH: I had recently retired after over three decades of teaching writing and linguistics courses at Leeward Community College, and so this was my chance to focus on my own projects. I took a life-changing writing course from author Candace Fleming during the COVID lockdown. By the end of the six weeks, I had pivoted from writing a book for older readers to a manuscript for a children’s picture book. After months of queries to possible agents, I signed with New Jersey-based James McGowan at BookEnds Literary. In our first Zoom call, James surprised me by pronouncing both Kaho‘olawe and my name correctly. He had prepared for our meeting by learning the pronunciation! Right then, I knew he was the agent for me.

But even with James’ skills as an agent, we couldn’t get much interest in Kaho‘olawe. The one comment we’d heard several times was that the story was too small and niche for a national publishing house. Thankfully, Carol realized that, in reality, the story is epic.

Photo: Courtesy of Kamalani Hurley

MKK: Did you learn anything new or receive a new perspective on Kaho‘olawe in the researching and writing of the book?

KH: Oh, yes. The history of Kaho‘olawe is full and rich. What moved me most were the details about two particular events of the early years that helped shaped the Protect Kaho‘olawe movement.

The first incident centers on the two weeks in January 1976—the “First Landing”—that Hawaiian activists Emmett Aluli and Walter Ritte spent exploring the island while dodging military searchers. Their visceral reactions to the devastation they had witnessed were not given the attention they should have by the newspapers of the time. The second is the disappearance of George Helm and Kimo Mitchell under unexplained circumstances in March 1977. Their terrible loss continues to be profoundly felt not just by their loved ones but by the whole community. Both stirring incidents launched the Protect Kaho‘olawe movement and inspired me to try to tell the story.

When I think of all the obstacles and frustrations activists faced over the years, I am awestruck at the strength of their resolve. Honestly, the story of Kaho‘olawe could’ve turned out much differently without PKO’s unwavering commitment to aloha ‘āina and to nonviolence over the 50-plus year fight.

MKK: There is a beautiful, delicate balance to your prose, in which you make the story accessible to young readers without sacrificing the weight and depth of Kaho‘olawe’s historical context. Were you aware of this balance, and how did you navigate trying to achieve it?

KH: Mahalo for saying so. Because Kaho‘olawe is a relatively unknown topic, I use layered text to speak to my two audiences. The younger audience will find easier, more approachable language that narrates the story in few words. For older audiences, sidebars provide needed background info. Although sidebars are usually found in the backmatter of picture books, Carol and I knew that the story would lose its Hawaiianess without immediate access to the historical and cultural context.

MKK: What do you hope readers will come away with after reading this book?

KH: Two words: hope and persistence. This story proves any obstacle can be overcome through cooperation, dedication, knowledge, and faith.

But beyond my book, I hope readers will be enticed to read more of our stories told by our people. Because I’m a children’s author, I’m partial to Native Hawaiian, Polynesian, and Pacific Islander authors like Kealani Netane, Shar Tui‘asoa, Gabby Ahuli‘i, Kalikolehua Hurley, Tammy Paikai, Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Malia Maunakea, and Megan Kamalei Kakimoto, whose varied and wonderful stories are intended for children and young adults. I hope readers will check them out!

MKK: I’d love to end with what you’re currently reading, or perhaps the last book(s) that had an impact on you.

KH: I love talking about books! I am currently rereading Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys in time for the movie release. Mostly, I read all kinds of nonfiction because nothing is more captivating than a true story. Released in October of last year, Princess Victoria Ka‘iulani: Last Heir of the Hawaiian Kingdom by the late UH professor Dr. Ralph Thomas Kam confirmed what I had always suspected: that our princess was more than the tragic hothouse flower earlier biographies made her out to be.

Photo: Courtesy of Kamalani Hurley

Mahalo nui to Kamalani Hurley for sharing her time, mana‘o, and creative insights. Kaho‘olawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People is now available for purchase.

Da Shop: Books + Curiosities, 3565 Harding Ave., open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., (808) 421-9460, dashophnl.com, @dashophnl

Could I write a “how to” book about trying to become a single mom, or being a mom at all? Could anyone? Well, maybe “Popo,” as we called my father’s grandmother. She raised mullet in the Hanaloa fishpond at Pearl Harbor, which kept her 10 kids fed and afforded them to go to college. She’d have something to say, and I bet she wouldn’t write a book. She’d tell me, though, “Just do what you gotta do.”

I’ve heard stories about her my whole life—Popo sleeping over Friday nights at my grandparents’ house so she could play mahjong all night; jai not really being jai unless it’s her version; Popo meeting Chiang Kai-shek and his wife, Soong Mei-ling, while touring Taiwan.

Photo: Courtesy of Virginia Loo

Growing up, there was always a family photo from 1949 on the wall of my parents’ house. It showed all of Popo’s children and spouses, along with my father sitting cross-legged in the front row with the rest of the grandkids. In the photo, taken for her 60th birthday, Popo was seated in her black cheongsam, sporting a cattleya corsage the size of her head. She was the epitome of a matriarch, a tiger mom of her era.

Initially, while writing my book, How to B, I thought I had a story the opposite of Popo’s life. I wanted to tell the funny, sometimes wacky story about getting pregnant without a partner. I wanted to share the etiquette of asking someone to be a sperm donor; how going to an infertility clinic makes you feel like a tiger jumping through hoops on fire; and learning to parent while living with your own parents. That’s what the book was supposed to be about.

But writing it took me somewhere unexpected. Choosing to have a kid on my own and wearing the mantle of single mom felt counter to all the expectations I was raised with—to go to a good school, get married to a nice boy, buy a house and have 2.5 kids. Writing How to B helped me unravel how and why my choices turned out so differently and allowed me to unpack the fear of not meeting my Chinese family’s expectations.

After I finished the book, I remembered Popo was a single mom herself. Her husband, my great-grandfather, was killed in a car accident when her youngest child was just 9 days old. She learned to drive herself to the fishpond. She got a lawyer to prevent her husband’s family from taking away the business. She raised those kids on her own, became a Buddhist late in life, and toured Europe with her daughters in her late 70s. So much for doing what is expected of you. Becoming a parent, especially becoming a mom, can change your entire sense of self. I lost myself for a bit, got mired in the tropes of trying to be a mom “the right way.” Popo would have told me, “No such thing, you just do what you gotta do.”

I never met Popo, unless you count going to bai san at Nu‘uanu Memorial Park where she is buried. Every April when I was young, our large extended family would gather to lay out a five-course mock meat meal on her gravestone, pouring liquor from red porcelain cups into the grass and tossing gold paper into a burning barrel. Each generation lined up to pay respect, foreheads kissing the grass, the youngest children bowing last.

We haven’t done the full ritual in years, but our family still gathers there in April, whoever is in town, bringing buckets of flowers picked from the yard. It’s a time to catch up on family gossip. Then it’s time: All the kids line up and bow on Popo’s grave, my 12-year-old son now the last to pay respects. I realize, what I thought seemed so far off the path is exactly how it’s always been.

SEE ALSO: What Should We Do About Our Parents?

Virginia Loo is the author of the recently published book, How to B, which shares her story as a globe-trotting epidemiologist who decides to have a child with no partner.

Image: Courtesy of Kris Goto

Figuring out who you are and where you fit in can be a perplexing, lifelong journey—and one that local artist Kris Goto captures beautifully in Beeeeeee Yourself, her recently released alphabet book for adults. Featuring 26 whimsical illustrations, the story follows a Japanese salaryman as he immerses himself in new worlds—from an ‘opihi colony and flock of nēnē to a squadron of manta rays—and takes on different personas in search of his truest self.

“It’s about learning to love yourself,” Goto says. “Because once you do, it won’t matter where you are, you’ll always be in good company.”

$45, krisgoto.com, @kgotoart

SEE ALSO: Books to Recenter Your Mind in the New Year

A time for change, growth and meaningful self-reflection, the new year is a reinvigorating time and a fantastic opportunity to set intentions for the days to come. As readers, we love turning to the written word to guide our actions and provide thoughtful direction for the year ahead. In this spirit of rejuvenation and well-being, your favorite booksellers at Da Shop: Books + Curiosities are here to recommend a variety of titles to start your year off right by prioritizing self-care, nurturing your creativity and offering valuable reflections on love and life.

SEE ALSO: Da Shop’s Greatest Hits: Volume 1

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

The Little Frog’s Guide to Self-Care

by Maybell Eequay

Selected by Dimpna, Mariko and Lani

We LOVE this book! The Little Frog’s Guide to Self-Care is full of whimsical illustrations brimming with personality. It’s not your usual self-help advice book—it’s a “go-to” companion, featuring a little frog with sassy boots and a mushroom cap who shares heartfelt advice about life and well-being. Little Frog isn’t here to lecture or overwhelm but rather to gently remind you that it’s okay to pause and show some kindness to yourself as well as to the world around you. This unique care guide is an exuberant way to jump start yourself onto a new lily pad and have some fun on this journey called life!

SEE ALSO: Da Shop’s Greatest Hits: Volume 2

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Sum: Forty Tales From the Afterlives

by David Eagleman

Selected by Kristen

A neuroscientist muses about the afterlife. Maybe that sounds a bit grim, but famed neuroscientist David Eagleman’s collection poses thought-provoking questions and asks us to reconsider our perspective on life, its value and our identity in the grand cosmos. I found the collection to be a playful invitation to join a deeper thinker as he wanders the perimeter of the great question of life after death.

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

The Work of Art: How Something Comes From Nothing

by Adam Moss

Selected by Megan

Pitched as a guided tour inside the artist’s head, The Work of Art is a groundbreaking work of conversation with some of the most accomplished artists of our time. Centering the question, “What is the work of art?” author Moss dialogues with painters, filmmakers, authors, sculptors, architects, and musicians who share the many stages of their rigorous processes, even offering glimpses into their nascent sketches, napkin doodles and diary entries. This is the perfect book for creatives of any and all mediums looking to prioritize their artistic practice in the new year.

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

The Last Lecture

by Randy Pausch

Selected by Jen

The first book that comes to mind that brings me perspective on the bigger picture of life and helps me reset my priorities is The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. In 2008, when this book was published, I was pre-marriage, pre-kids and pre-caretaking my older loved ones. The book offered a great roadmap of how to live life to the fullest, then it hit differently as I crossed each milestone. Randy’s lessons sink in with more clarity as I put each to practice in real life. I still get most things wrong, but the fact that I get to wake up the next day and try again, try to do better and be better, is the gift this book has brought me.

Da Shop: Books + Curiosities, 3565 Harding Ave., open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., (808) 421-9460, dashophnl.com, @dashophnl

Our booksellers and staff at Da Shop: Books + Curiosities and parent company Bess Press have done a lot of reading this year, and this month, we’re bringing you part two of our roundup of 2024 books we simply couldn’t get enough of. An award-winning book from Fiji confronting the devastation of deep-sea mining and our vital stewardship of the Pacific Ocean? Check. A riveting anthology of noir fiction by some of the biggest names in local literature? Check. A gripping and acclaimed novel of a government tipping into tyranny? Check. Come with us as we celebrate the books that engaged us, challenged us, and ultimately called us to care for ourselves, our lands and our communities.

SEE ALSO: Da Shop’s Greatest Hits: Volume 1

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Cries From the Moana

By ‘Atu Emberson-Bain with Melino Bain-Vete and Siale Bain-Vete, illustrated by Auntie Fonu

Selected by Mariko

From page one, this chapter book from Fiji had me completely enthralled. I fell in love with the cousins, Mahina and Tahi, and found myself rooting for them at every turn on their magical ocean adventure. I still can’t get enough of the gorgeous illustrations (the deep-sea scenes are amazing!) by the multi-talented Pasifika artist, Auntie Fonu. I especially love the pages where words and images flow around each other, making the reading experience exciting and fun. Recommended for ages 8—12, but a great story for both younger and older audiences. These books are precious and hard to get—our current supply was hand-carried on an airplane from Fiji!

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Honolulu Noir

Edited by Chris McKinney

Selected by Lani

Finally, after 20 years and 130 volumes, Honolulu is on the map of Akashic Books’ venerated noir series. If you’re seeking a provocative local read, these atypical short stories won’t disappoint. Thirteen of Honolulu’s best writers lead readers through rough and hidden corners of neighborhoods not meant for tourists, and frankly, not even for the city’s populace. What makes this anthology most unique is the various interpretations of noir by each writer, exploring compromising situations from the despair of heartache to the cutthroat efforts of criminals to the irresistible pull of death and the supernatural. Sharply written, chilling to the core, and laced with hints of dark humor, this anthology will open your eyes to what’s beneath the sun-kissed veneer of paradise.

SEE ALSO: Honolulu Noir Exposes the Dark Side of the City

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

The Book That Can Read Your Mind

By Marianna Coppo

Selected by Dimpna

I was scanning the shelves in search of my next children’s picture book when The Book That Can Read Your Mind immediately drew my attention and I just had to see what it was about! The book begins with Lady Rabbit welcoming readers to her show and performing her usual magic tricks until announcing her next act: She will read your mind! As the book progresses, you’ll pick a member from the magician’s audience (but don’t share who you picked!) and continue paging through its “guessing game” structure that taps into the thrill of seeing if the book can actually predict what you’re thinking. The Book That Can Read Your Mind magically made its way from the bookstore to my home library—truly a fun, interactive read with playful illustrations that readers of all ages will enjoy!

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Prophet Song

By Paul Lynch

Selected by Ann

Prophet Song by Paul Lynch won the Booker Prize for 2023; it’s about a fascist takeover in Ireland and how it affects one particular family. I tell people to read it so they’ll be ready. It can happen anywhere. This is also a novel about the experience of being a refugee on the run. The writing style with no paragraphs and no punctuation marks adds to the nonstop suspense. This is a beautifully written and searing commentary on “it can happen here.”

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook

By Hampton Sides

Selected by Buddy

As a lover of armchair travel and adventure stories, I jumped into The Wide, Wide Sea by Hampton Sides with personal reservations and few expectations. I was riveted by the author’s biographical details of Cook’s three voyages circumnavigating the globe, including the Antarctic circle, prior to his unexpected stumble upon Hawai‘i. His skill as a leader of 160 men for two- to three-year voyages, navigational ability, and, to a certain degree, luck and ultimately misfortune are well-researched windows into Cook’s character, while rightfully detailing and acknowledging the broader issues of colonialism, cultural appropriation, and the spreading of disease to Native populations. The circumstances surrounding his death, preceding and subsequent, should be of particular interest to all of us in Hawai‘i.

SEE ALSO: 6 Books That Left a Big Impression on Da Shop Staff in 2023

Da Shop: Books + Curiosities, 3565 Harding Ave., open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., (808) 421-9460, dashophnl.com, @dashophnl

Photo: Courtesy of Dr. Carl Meyer

Science Reveals the Secret Lives of Sharks Lecture

Thursday, Nov. 21, 6 to 7 p.m.

Find out why sharks behave the way they do, how they survive and what we can do to coexist with them. Dr. Carl Meyer, a University of Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology researcher, tells all in his talk as part of the Friends of the Waikīkī Aquarium’s Tim Guard Distinguished Lecture Series.

RSVP

Free, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Art Building, 2535 McCarthy Mall, Room 132, fowaquarium.org

SEE ALSO: The Ultimate Guide to Holiday Happenings on O‘ahu

Photo: Courtesy of Goodwill Hawai‘i

Goods Giving Saturday

Saturday, Nov. 23, 8:30 a.m. to noon

Here’s your sign to clean out your closet and cabinets before the holidays. Donate pre-loved clothing and household items at one of three Goodwill Hawai‘i drop-off locations on Saturday morning. In return, they’re giving away $6,500 in Aloha Gas cards, Car Wash 808 Express tickets, Popeyes Hawai‘i promo cards and Diamond Bakery cookies, while supplies last.

Free; Kaimukī Store & Donation Center, 3650 Waialae Ave.; Kapolei Store & Donation Center, 2140 Lauwiliwili St.; Windward City Shopping Center Donation Center, 45-480 Kāne‘ohe Bay Dr. (near Starbucks); goodwillhawaii.org, @goodwill_hawaii

SEE ALSO: Your Insider Guide to ‘Twas the Light Before Christmas

Photo: Courtesy of Hō‘ikeākea Gallery

The Swell Is Coming: Ke Hō‘ea Nei Ka Nalu

Saturday, Nov. 23, through Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Explore the evolution of global surf art culture at this new exhibit featuring contributions by 19 artists from Hawai‘i and around the world, including Elyse Butler, Mark Cunningham, Wayne Levin and John Severson. Meet and mingle with artists and community members at the opening reception on Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m.

Free admission, Hō‘ikeākea Gallery, Leeward Community College, Pu‘uloa Campus, 96-045 Ala ‘Ike, Pearl City, leeward.hawaii.edu, @hoikeakeagallery

SEE ALSO: Thanksgiving 2024 Part 2: More Menus From Restaurants All Over O‘ahu

Dine, Art, Shop, Love Honolulu Fest

Saturday, Nov. 23, 2 to 9 p.m.

Celebrate all Chinatown has to offer and support local businesses. Stroll down pedestrian-only Bethel Street, see performances by the Royal Hawaiian Band and feature films by NMG at Sun Yat-Sen Park and Hawai‘i Theatre, watch fashion shows from local designers at the Downtown Art Center, score discounts at select retailers and grab a bite at neighborhood restaurants.

Free, family-friendly, Bethel St., Nu‘uanu Ave., Smith St., Pauahi St., Hotel St. and King St. in Chinatown, free parking available at the former Walmart building, 36 S. King St. (entrance on Bethel St.), revitalizeoahu.org, @oer.honolulu

SEE ALSO: Can’t-Miss Local Holiday Markets and Craft Fairs on O‘ahu

Photo: Getty Images, PetrStransky; composited by Christine Labrador

Honolulu Noir Launch Party

Saturday, Nov. 23, 3 to 5 p.m.

Step into the dark side of O‘ahu with this new short story anthology by 13 writers, including Chang Apana, the Native Hawaiian/Chinese real-life cop who was the inspiration for the fictional Charlie Chan character. Talk story with several of the authors and hear excerpts of the collection.

RSVP

Free, Da Shop: Books + Curiosities, 3565 Harding Ave., dashophnl.com, @dashophnl

SEE ALSO: Honolulu Noir Exposes the Dark Side of the City

As we approach the end of another year, our booksellers and staff at Da Shop: Books + Curiosities and our parent company Bess Press are reflecting on our most memorable reads of 2024. For the next two months, we will be eagerly sharing the books that have made a lasting impression on us, from lyrical novels to a Pasifika poetry anthology to a beloved middle grade read by a leading Hawai‘i author. So come along as we recap our year of reading, and maybe get some inspiration for that final read of the year.

SEE ALSO: 6 Books That Left a Big Impression on Da Shop Staff in 2023

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Clairboyance

By Kristiana Kahakauwila

Selected by Kristen

I’m going to tell you a secret about Clairboyance: the story hook, Clara’s sudden ability to read boys’ thoughts, delves so much deeper than one might assume. This is the hallmark magic of beloved Kanaka Maoli writer Kristiana Kahakauwila, who is as generous and caring to her middle grade readers as she is to her characters: honoring the complexity of feeling conflicted, unmoored and longing for connection. Kahakauwila holds a sacred space for their wending journeys that unite in a cathartic resolution of cultural, communal, and familial anchoring intimately situated in this ‘āina and people.

I cried, no, bawled, reading this book, which may have caused some initial hesitation from my 10-year-old daughter when I shared it with her (oops). My daughter has since read it many times over: I often see Clairboyance tucked under her arm or in her bag and I smile, knowing this story continues to nourish us both.

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Enter Ghost

By Isabella Hammad

Selected by Megan

How to capture what this novel means to me? Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad is a powerful rendering of present-day Palestine and evinces the significance of art-making under the pressures of war and occupation. The book follows actress Sonia Nasir, whose brief return to Haifa is interrupted by the request that she play Gertrude in a West Bank production of Hamlet. Written in compelling, lyrical, and masterfully restrained prose, Enter Ghost depicts Sonia’s involvement in theater as political protest and her poignant journey of self-discovery in her ancestral home. This is a novel with staying power, one I suspect I will return to again and again.

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

The Postcard

By Anne Berest

Selected by Jen

An anonymous postcard arrives with nothing else written except four first names of family members. This spurs author Anne Berest to figure out who sent it and why. Between the book covers, I get a glimpse into the lives of her great grandparents, Ephraïm and Emma, her grand aunt, Noémie, and grand uncle, Jacques. It literally is a “glimpse,” as they were all murdered in the Holocaust. Their lives, their hopes and dreams, cut short for no other reason but for being Jewish.

Many emotions come up while reading this book, but gratitude is the one that stays. I am grateful to Anne for sharing their stories, as nobody wants to be forgotten. And I am grateful for the reminder that I still have time and the opportunity to add many chapters to my own story, so I better not waste it.

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

We The Gathered Heat: Asian American and Pacific Islander Poetry, Performance, and Spoken Word

Edited by Franny Choi, Bao Phi, No‘u Revilla and Terisa Siagatonu

Selected by David

Poetry is not a genre I typically go for, but this title is a searingly good read. It is packed with power in short-form, personal narrative from a variety of leading authors, poets, and creatives. If you are a person who wants to understand people, the world, identity and the mere conscience of what being Asian American and Pacific Islander is today, then this is your book.

The collection of works is editorially curated by standout poets Franny Choi, Bao Phi, No‘u Revilla and Terisa Siagatonu and reads like a deeply personal dinner conversation, where you laugh, cry and yell. It is a brilliantly crafted publication that includes an immense amount of writing talent that pulls from the past, connects readers with today and casts a possible vision of tomorrow for AAPI voices.

Da Shop: Books + Curiosities, 3565 Harding Ave., open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., (808) 421-9460, dashophnl.com, @dashophnl