Hero of Hawaii

February 1, 2011
Fifth in the Calvin Coconut series, this fast and engaging read focuses on fourth-grader Calvin, who lives with his mom, little sister and a teenage houseguest, Stella, since his father left the family. Set on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, this installment takes a distinctive turn toward adventure as torrential rains cause terrible flooding and Calvin finds himself and a friend in danger. Rogers' pen-and-ink drawings are nicely expressive, their playful feel becoming more subdued when depicting the more serious event of the flood. The ongoing strengths of the series are once again present in this volume—cultural details that emerge contextually and blend seamlessly with the narrative and an appealingly realistic depiction of Calvin's busy and sometimes stressed family. In an earlier volume, his mom's boyfriend, Ledward, began transforming into more of a father figure for Calvin, and here, Stella's boyfriend, Clarence, also starts to serve as a role model. While young audiences will appreciate and be drawn in by the quick-moving action, the at-times predictable plot is not the point here. Rather, it is what keeps readers moving through this nuanced, often very funny and heartfelt story of a boy's growth and understanding of his role in a family made stronger by its willingness to redefine itself. (Fiction. 7-10)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

April 1, 2011

Gr 3-5-"You live Hawaii, you live the ocean, ah?" This sentiment is definitely true for nine-year-old Calvin Coconut, whose island home is surrounded by miles of open water. He has grown up learning how to deal with the ocean, both in good situations and bad. Some of his friends do not have this ability, though, which nearly has disastrous consequences. Willy is not as water-savvy as Calvin, and when they are outside during a raging storm, he falls into a river and gets whisked out to sea. It's up to Calvin to hop into his skiff and try to save his friend. Salisbury's latest title in the series has some real potential, but misses the mark in several areas. While it's important to create multicultural protagonists, readers do not come away with a clear picture of Hawaiian customs or way of life. There is a brief mention of Pidgin English, but this may only confuse readers if they haven't encountered it before. Furthermore, Calvin's inner monologues are unrealistically mature for a fourth grader. Finally, the plot feels insubstantial, revolving almost solely around the storm and Willy's rescue, with only a minor subplot about Calvin's sister's birthday. Rogers's sketchy pen-and-ink illustrations add some visual flair but overall this story is unlikely to get kids excited about reading.-Amy Holland, Irondequoit Public Library, NY

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