Kamehameha: The Warrior King of Hawaii (A Latitude 20 Book)

By Susan Morrison

A comet blazes across the night sky, heralding the birth of a powerful king who will rule the Islands. Then a baby is spirited away to the mountains to escape a jealous chief wary of the prophecy. As dramatic as a Greek myth, the story of Kamehameha the Great, Hawaii's warrior king, is retold here for readers of all ages. From his childhood in exile to his return to court and the lifting of the great Naha Stone, we follow this brave and ambitious youth as he paves his way to becoming first conqueror and then monarch of a unified Hawaiian kingdom. Recommended for ages 9 and up

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0824827007
• ISBN13: 9780824827007
• Release Date: August 2003
• Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
• Length: 104 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.5" x 6.3"
• Age Range: 9 years and up
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

The story of a warrior who bridged two worlds

"Kamehameha: The Warrior King of Hawai'i" combines text by Susan Morrison with powerful artwork by Karen Kiefer. Together they tell the story of the ruler who forged the Hawaiian Islands into a single kingdom. A lot of information is packed into this slim book, which totals 85 plus xiv pages. The main text is divided up into fifteen short chapters, each of which features an illustration. The story spans all of Kamehameha's life, from birth to death; Morrison writes about his childhood, military campaigns, religious beliefs and activities, family life, political maneuvers, and encounters with Europeans. Particularly fascinating is Kamehameha's relationship with George Vancouver, a British seaman and explorer. The main text and illustrations are complemented by many interesting supplemental features: a map of the Hawaiian Islands; an afterword that discusses Kamehameha's legacy; explanatory end notes about various aspects of his life; English and Hawaiian language versions of a chant about his birth, with an explanatory note; a chronology of important dates in his life; a glossary of terms and proper names that are relevant to his life; and a comprehensive bibliography. These supplemental features offer a lot of information for readers who might be interested in doing further research about Kamehameha. Kamehameha truly lived an epic life, and Morrison and Kiefer have created a fascinating account of his journey. This is a coming-of-age story, a story of war and warriorship, a family drama, and a political saga. It's also a story about contact between different cultures (European and Hawaiian) and how new technology impacts one of these cultures. The portrait of Kamehameha is ultimately that of a visionary leader who aspires to bridge two worlds, both culturally and politically.