Island Boy

by Robert R. Harry Sr., Reisie Lonette (Illustrator)

The story of Paulo, a boy growing up in the ancient Hawaiian Islands.

209 pages

Published January 1, 1956

Reviews

[Karen]

I just reread this book. I read this first in 5th grade when I found a copy in the library. Loved this story about a boy that survived an enemy attack on his village in ancient Maui. A trader came by, found him and took him to a larger village that would one day become Honolulu.

[Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides]

My father had a copy of this ... I liked it when I was a kid.

[Michelle Levigne]

I can still see the shelf in the spare bedroom of my grandmother's house where I found this book when I was in elementary school. It was a hardback, kind of faded and dusty. I think it was marked as a book club pick for young readers.

This story took me to an entirely new place and time and culture. People who lived on islands and went barefoot and had such (to me at the time) strange customs. I loved this book and often when I was at my grandmother's house for a long period of time, I'd pull it out and read it again.

I'm delighted that Wildside Press picked up this book and has made it available in paperback.

So what's the story? Vicious warriors come to Paulo's little village demanding tribute for their new king. When they are unable to pay, they are slaughtered. Paulo is the only survivor. He is found by a friendly trader and taken to another island, where the quest begins to find a place for an orphaned boy to find a new home. Paulo is taken in by Olu the chantmaker, and as he tries to find a place on this much larger island, with so many people, the reader sees what life was like in ancient Hawaii.

Does Paulo find a new home and family? You'll just have to read it and see.

[NK]

Fabulous Hawaiian story and educational children's book. It is also beautifully illustrated with charcoal drawings.

[Tim]

What a wonderful little story. Well written and enjoyable story. Characters are believable and moves at a nice pace.

[Annika M Baldwin]

1956. Very wholesome, intelligent, cute book for younger.

[Dru]

This was a book from my grade school days. Remember the Weekly Reader Book Club? Anyway about a boy in Hawaii in it's early days who ends up homeless and moving to another island. Read this for "a book from my childhood" challenge.

[DJ]

A wonderful childhood story my mom fell in love with and shared with me, and I have shared with my children.

[Melissa]

I loved this book as a child and read it many times.