5 Hawai‘i and Oceania Books to Take You on an Odyssey

Everywhere we turn, we are seeing the influences of The Odyssey summer. From the resurgent interest in ancient Greek literature to lively debates about translation, all this buzz around the Homeric epic has inspired us to reach for other tomes and tales of love, family, memory and the tumultuous journey home.

Our booksellers at Da Shop: Books + Curiosities have curated a handful of Hawai‘i and Oceania titles for readers of all ages that will transport you across oceans, through histories and beyond. Through poetic verse, vibrant illustrations and compelling narratives, these books navigate journeys by complex characters whose motivations, migrations and transformations can only be described as epic. You can find these titles and more at our bookstore in Kaimukī or at dashophnl.com.

SEE ALSO: Celebrate AANHPI Month with These Can’t-Miss New (and Forthcoming!) Titles

Photo: Courtesy of Da Shop: Books + Curiosities

Mata Austronesia: Stories from an Ocean World

by Tuki Drake

This (ethno)graphic novel is told through a constellation of illustrated stories connecting the island nations and cultures of Austronesia. From Viti (Fiji) to Bali to Ka Pae ‘Āina o Hawai‘i, hand-painted tales showcase the storytelling traditions and linguistic migration that resulted from vast voyaging histories. Expansive yet intimate, Drake subverts colonial cartographic divisions with an empowering redefining of this diverse oceanic region.

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Everything to the Sea

by Alicia Upano

Disaster and love are at the center of this highly anticipated novel by Hawai‘i author Alicia Upano. Everything to the Sea spans the years of friendship, love and heartache of Hilo locals, Jane and Kenji, living in the aftermath of a devastating tsunami. Upano’s dynamic prose draws us through their turbulent yet tender homeward course and all of the wild currents that threaten to pull them astray.

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Kōlea and the King’s Crown

written by Alice Guild, illustrated by Georg James and John Dinsmore

This stunning picture book imagines a friendship between a wise kōlea bird and a young boy who grows up to lead the Kingdom of Hawai‘i as King David Kalākaua. Many years later, as the king readies to set sail for his historic World Tour, the migratory kōlea finds him again, reconnecting at points on the king’s epic travels that culminate in the renowned coronation ceremony at ‘Iolani Palace.

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Ocean Mother

by Arielle Taitano Lowe

CHamoru poet Arielle Taitano Lowe‘s Ocean Mother invites us into her briny, contemplative voyage to healing. Lowe’s lyrical and poignant verse moves through her childhood memories in Guåhan (Guam) to her journey away from home and the reflections afforded by the distance apart. A moving exploration of inherited trauma, colonization and healing through land and family narratives.

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In Search of First Contact: An Examination of Possible Pre-Cook European Voyages to Hawai‘i

by Gordon B. Joyce

This accessible and expansive nonfiction read is perfect for history lovers. Hawai‘i Island author Gordon B. Joyce draws on his career as the former Chief Ranger of Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau where the stories around Kealakekua Bay provided insight into the ongoing debate about possible European voyages to Hawai‘i ahead of Captain Cook’s landing in 1978. This book takes readers on a quest across maritime history, through extensive research and a wealth of full-color illustrations, artifacts, and maps.

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