With a setting based on Hawai'i and Polynesian culture, this historical fiction has a plot that both adults and young adults will find intriguing. Hooked by the Stars travels back and forth through time and weaves together the quest of two young girls. The ancient tale is a historical fantasy; when magic influences the crew of a Polynesian voyage in the time of the ancestors. The modern story explores cultural diversity and coming of age on Hawai'i Island amid a changing social landscape. Both girls are challenged by, and learn the benefits of actions expressed with aloha.
Meli and Lani have a lot in common, even though their lives are separated by a thousand years and their home islands are over two thousand miles apart. They are growing up without their mothers, they are both falling in love, and events beyond their control will soon change their lives. Meli lives on the island of Hawai'i in the 1930's under the watchful eye of her Aunty Min. When questions about her mother's disappearance go unanswered, she decides to follow the advice of a mysterious young man. A series of outings between Hilo and Hawi lead her to discover her family's secret. Lani lives on the island of Nuku Hiva, the archipelago that is now called the Marquesas. She must leave her home and her true love when she is chosen to join the crew of a voyaging canoe. Her father, a shaman, believes the goddess has given him a star song, but what nobody realizes is that Lani's fate is in the hands of a mischievous sorceress. The unlikely hero for both girls is Pueo, the owl.
In partnership with the University of Hawai'i Foundation, Wise Bird Books LLC is donating 50% of the profits from the sale of the first edition of Hooked by the Stars to the Pueo Hui, a Citizen Science Project, directed by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai'i at Manoa. Beyond the fantasy, the book has a glossary of basic Hawai'ian words and concepts, and the meaning of the character's names. The author's prologue provides information and keywords to inspire further reading and research.
"In 2013 I studied Hawai'ian healing massage on Maui. Our teacher spoke of the plants and animals that are unique to Hawai'i, including Pueo, the Hawai'ian owl. I asked her, 'How did Pueo come to Hawai'i?' and she said she didn't know. By the end of that day the tale of Lani and the voyaging canoe came to me." said author Aline LaForge. "A year later I created Aunty Min to answer Meli's question, and the book just grew from there."
Suitable for Middle-grade readers with a plot that will intrigue adults, Hooked by the Stars is a magical tale sprinkled with facts about the Pacific Islands, their natural history, culture, and language. This historical fiction weaves together the accomplishments and adventures of the star navigators in ancient times, the cultural connections between the peoples of Oceania, and the changing social landscape that the sugar cane industry brought to Hawai'i in modern times. A glossary introduces the reader to basic Hawai'ian words and concepts, and the author's epilogue provides information for further non-fiction reading and research.
Wise Bird Books LLC is promoting Hooked by the Stars for a unique social enterprise. In partnership with the University of Hawai'i Foundation, Wise Bird Books LLC is donating 50% of the profits from the sale of Hooked by the Stars to the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental management, Pueo Hui, a Citizen Science Project.