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Review: Lei and the Fire Goddess

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Lei and the Fire Goddess
By Malia Maunakea
New York: Penguin Workshop, 2023. Fiction. 298 pages.

Anna Leilani Kama'ehu is stuck in something of an identity crisis. Ever since she moved from Hawaii to Colorado with her parents, she struggles to fit in. At home in Colorado, she only wants to be called Anna and gets picked on for believing in the native Hawaiian lore she was raised with and now her best friend has left her for the popular group. She used to always look forward to spending the summers in Hawaii with her Tūtū, but this year she doesn't want to hear any more stories about her culture -- she wants to visit Hawaii like a tourist. This year, Anna refuses to believe in the Hawaiian gods and goddesses and goes so far as to insult Pele, the volcano goddess, out of spite. In retaliation, Pele sends a giant hawk to snatch Anna's Hawaiian best friend Kaipo and sends a lava flow right for Tūtū's house. If she wants to fix things before they're too late, Anna must go on a quest to face Pele and come face to face with her own heritage.

Fans of Rick Riordan books will obviously love this culturally rooted adventure novel. Anna is a character that readers will want to root for -- she makes mistakes, sure, but as she finds herself she also sets out to repair the mistakes she's made. The Hawaiian setting of this book is rich and vibrant -- with references to local foods and landmarks tucked in naturally. Untranslated Hawaiian words and slang are sprinkled into the dialogue and add a level of authenticity and cultural understanding. We have readers all the time looking for stories about Pacific Islanders, and the pool of options has been pretty small. This awesome new addition is hopefully a indicator of things to come.
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