Punky Aloha

by Shar Tuiasoa, Shar Tuiasoa (Illustrator)

Overview

Meet Punky Aloha: a girl who uses the power of saying "aloha" to experience exciting and unexpected adventures!

Punky loves to do a lot of things—except meeting new friends. She doesn’t feel brave enough.

So when her grandmother asks her to go out and grab butter for her famous banana bread, Punky hesitates. But with the help of her grandmother’s magical sunglasses, and with a lot of aloha in her heart, Punky sets off on a BIG adventure for the very first time.

Will she be able to get the butter for grandma?

Punky Aloha is a Polynesian girl who carries her culture in her heart and in everything she does. Kids will love to follow this fun character all over the island of O’ahu.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063079236
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/07/2022
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	126,580
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Shar Tuiasoa is a Polynesian artist from the island of O’ahu, in the town of Kailua, Hawai’i, where she was born and raised. She is the author-illustrator of Punky Aloha. After studying Fine Art at her local community college, Shar headed to California where she earned her BFA in illustration from Laguna College of Art and Design. When she is not in the ocean, enjoying the vibrant culture of her home, Shar spends her time imagining and creating for her illustration business, Punky Aloha Studio.

Shar Tuiasoa is a Polynesian artist from the island of O’ahu, in the town of Kailua, Hawai’i, where she was born and raised. She is the author-illustrator of Punky Aloha. After studying Fine Art at her local community college, Shar headed to California where she earned her BFA in illustration from Laguna College of Art and Design. When she is not in the ocean, enjoying the vibrant culture of her home, Shar spends her time imagining and creating for her illustration business, Punky Aloha Studio.

Editorial Reviews

04/18/2022

Tuiasoa’s debut follows a lively protagonist in a winning arc toward relational confidence, assuring readers that “making new friends doesn’t have to be scary.” Narrator Punky Aloha, a Polynesian child who wears a flower behind one ear and brown hair swept into a bun, is on a mission to obtain butter for Grandma’s banana bread—“not just any banana bread... Grandma’s famous, fresh-baked, bananas-from-the-backyard, warm-from-the-oven banana bread.” Unable to accompany Punky to the store, Grandma offers “magical brave glasses, for brave adventurers like you” to help overcome Punky’s shyness, as well as a reminder to “Be helpful. Be Giving. Be Brave” by way of “shar our aloha.” As Punky sets off on a skateboard, encountering a distressed pig who needs help transporting mangoes, a sad bee who has collected an insufficient pollen store, and another child on wheels, each encounter gives Punky an opportunity to practice moving from internal fear to external kindness. Round-lined digital illustrations lush in greens, blues, oranges, and yellows summon the island’s warmth, giving an airy ease to a sweet intergenerational story of interacting with one’s community—and gaining a “heart full of courage.” Ages 4–8. (May)

Publishers Weekly

A bold palette of verdant greens and rich teals set against warm golds and browns easily evokes the island setting, while curvy, exaggerated figures and simple, linear compositions give the digital art an airy effortlessness. With her messy topknot, flip-flops, and skateboard, bespectacled Punky is an utterly charming protagonist, and her narration moves effectively from early anxiousness to confident triumph. Break out a pair of oversized shades to give some added oomph to some readers’ theatre or an island-themed storytime. — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

This is a tender, happy story that will make a delightful read-aloud.

— Booklist

[Illustrations] lush in greens, blues, oranges, and yellows summon the island’s warmth, giving an airy ease to a sweet intergenerational story of interacting with one’s community—and gaining a “heart full of courage.” — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

A bold palette of verdant greens and rich teals set against warm golds and browns easily evokes the island setting, while curvy, exaggerated figures and simple, linear compositions give the digital art an airy effortlessness. With her messy topknot, flip-flops, and skateboard, bespectacled Punky is an utterly charming protagonist, and her narration moves effectively from early anxiousness to confident triumph. Break out a pair of oversized shades to give some added oomph to some readers’ theatre or an island-themed storytime.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

This is a tender, happy story that will make a delightful read-aloud.

Booklist