Good Night Hawaii (Good Night Our World)

This is a short story sharing all the beauty of the islands. My four year old son adores this book. We first read it in class and he continued to have me read it to him numerous times a day. The pictures are in vivid, bright colors and are truly a joy to actually learn or remember the islands with!

How delighted I am to find that such a clever idea for a bedtime book has been done with such excellence. Distilling the essence of an entire state--from iconic locations to traditions to language--is difficult to say the least, but the author and illustrator manage to do it with flying colors. We just received our first two of these books yesterday, and I noticed that both follow a natural rhythm through the day as well as through the state. The pages begin with phrases such as "good morning, ____"; progress to "hello, ______" and "greetings, _____"; and continue on through "good evening" and "good night". By the end of the book, the reader enjoys a true sense of the state as well as a relaxed, good-night frame of mind. The illustrations are superb, including endless subtle details so characteristic of each state but without being overwhelming for young readers. "Good Night, Hawaii" is outstanding! It mentions the following: the Pacfic, humpback whales, lei, surfing, mountains, waterfalls, sea turtles and coral reefs, dolphins, beaches and horseback riding. Then we are treated to the island fruits, flowers, conch shells, hulas, luaus, geckos and volcanos, and finally Waikiki Beach and the Observatory. The Hawaii illustrations includes rainbows, shave ice, pineapples, and hibiscus as supporting details for the text. ('Gecko' is misspelled, but the authors are fixing it.) This is an outstanding series for any child, as it celebrates different cities or regions and helps familiarize them with places beyond their own environments. It is an ideal way to discuss where extended family live or to prepare for a visit or move to another area. My daughter, a military baby, will be moving to her third home (and third continent) this fall, all before her third birthday. I bought the Hawaii and Virginia books as a way to celebrate and say goodbye to our current home as well as to prepare and familiarize her a bit with the one we're heading to. With all the chaos and change, these books are a beautiful, gentle way to bridge the transition and make the journey a little more approachable for a young one. Thanks, Mr. Gamble and Mr. Veno, for a great addition to a child's library. Keep 'em coming!!!

This is a great book! My daughter was born there and we wanted to have something for her to learn about the culture. We also have Good Night Boston. The pictures are beautiful and information is accurate. We have to read this book everynight before bed. There are a lot of little nuances that we are able to fill in for her to really maximize her learning and understanding of Hawaii. For example, pictures of Humu's and shave ice. We point out Diamond Head and the Royal Hawaiian. The only thing missing is a big ol' shaka sign! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has been to Hawaii or lived there.