This book about Hawai‘i’s unique and interesting weather covers a lot of what makes our islands so special.At a glance, you will recognize Sun and Rain: Exploring Hawai‘i’s Seasons as a children’s book. It is profusely and beautifully illustrated with photographs, many of which have children in them. It is in the format of the popular Golden Books that grandparents today will recall from their childhood. It has only a few lines of text on each two-page spread. Sounds like a children’s book, right? Here’s the thing: If you’re relatively new to Hawai‘i, you might just be child-enough with regard to the facts of life in the islands to actually “need” this book yourself.
Do you know how many seasons we have in Hawai‘i? Do you know how they are distinguished from one another? Do you know in which season our plumeria trees are commonly leafless? Very likely, you do know—if you’re into ocean activities or even ocean views—what season brings us the monster surf on the north shores of the islands, and when it is that jacaranda trees bloom, but do you recognize the Pacific golden plover as the same bird when, thanks to the seasonal shift, its plumage changes color for the trek to its nesting grounds in Alaska?
Sun and Rain is full of facts, presented in a straightforward and clear, but never childish or condescending, way. In the beginning and again at the end, there are more text heavy sections—“About This Book” up front, then “About Seasons in Hawai‘i” and “Sharing This Book with Children” at the back. These pages will interest older children and adults, but will go unnoticed by younger children. What’s more, the book promises to be interesting even to children too young to read the simple pages for themselves. I’m certain this promise will turn out to be true for parents willing to spend the time to read the book to their youngest children and with slightly older ones.
This is an excellent “little” book. Every family with children should definitely have it in the house. Maybe every household of non-native Hawai‘i people should, too, because it is not only educational, it is fun to read and share.