The first two books in the Niuhi Shark Saga are One Boy, No Water and One Shark, No Swim. The author is a friend of my sister and EA was very happy when she was picked up by a publisher. Lehua had a signing the other day and my mom had a pair personalized for me. The books take place on Hawaii with a group of young kids. The books are part summer vacation, part adventure, and part Hawaiian culture. Written in Hawiian Pidgin English, or Pidgin for short. A language formed from what people from all over the Pacific and the World. Lehua provides a very nice glossary for those terms that aren't clear from the context. The chapter headings give additional language and cultural insights. The characters are also well written and the suspense is well done.
Plot: Alexander, Zader for short, has a unique problem. He is a sixth grader in Hawaii who is allergic to water. When ever water touches him he get angry red blisters that cause him immense pain. This means his life style is quite different from his adoptive family. James, Jay, is very protective of his near twin and does everything with Zader. While Jay surfs the waves, Zader draws in his sketchbook. Things have never been "normal" for Zader, but when he starts talking lau (Hawaiian martial arts) from Uncle Kahana, the man who found him on the beach as a new born infant, things begin to go even stranger. He, Jay, and their cousin Char Siu, learn about Niuhi - man eating sharks that are aware of themselves, they can be any kind of shark and they can be any size. Their actions are law, the same way a king's word is law. Niuhi are the stuff of legends to some, but not Uncle Kahana. He knows there is truth in myth and knows that the monsters of the past can still haunt the nightmares of the present.
Plot: Alexander, Zader for short, has a unique problem. He is a sixth grader in Hawaii who is allergic to water. When ever water touches him he get angry red blisters that cause him immense pain. This means his life style is quite different from his adoptive family. James, Jay, is very protective of his near twin and does everything with Zader. While Jay surfs the waves, Zader draws in his sketchbook. Things have never been "normal" for Zader, but when he starts talking lau (Hawaiian martial arts) from Uncle Kahana, the man who found him on the beach as a new born infant, things begin to go even stranger. He, Jay, and their cousin Char Siu, learn about Niuhi - man eating sharks that are aware of themselves, they can be any kind of shark and they can be any size. Their actions are law, the same way a king's word is law. Niuhi are the stuff of legends to some, but not Uncle Kahana. He knows there is truth in myth and knows that the monsters of the past can still haunt the nightmares of the present.
Personal favorites: Both books were engaging and humorous. The characters were realistic. They are not heros but kids, doing kid things. In some ways the books read like a "what I did on my summer vacation" essay with problems you would not expect to stand up and cheer over, but that's exactly what you do. In many ways, I think that these books have some of the most realistic conflicts and challenges I've seen for a middle grade book - despite the fantastical elements. It was a wonderful balance of fantasy and foreign culture. Youthful play with solid challenges. The books were both well written and beautifully crafted. The more I think about it. If think these were the beat written middle grade books I've ever read.
Considerations: There is only one reference in the first book and three in the second that I would list as considerations. Two deal with Zader dreaming that which might bother younger children. They are scenes where he attacks Jay in a vicious way. The other two scenes feature Zader deliberating instinctive violence, both involving a knife. The scenes are not detailed and are short. I mention them only because younger (as in 7 or younger) might find them frightening. However, those are the only reasons I wouldn't read them to my five-year-old. Well, those and her ability to sit still, but she's getting better. The only other thing I mention is that the second book does end with a very large cliff hanger so be prepared to wait.
The books were wonderful and I'm very glad that I read them. I am also looking forward to sharing them with my children. One Boy, No Water is 270 pages and One Shark, No Swim is 289.
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