Why is Pono not Pono Today

By Deb Lewis

Young Adult

Why is Pono not Pono Today? Is a delightful book that from the cover appears to be a children’s book, but is actually a book for everyone. Lewis is a facilitator guiding people on how to handle stress, no matter its form. Making her home in Hawaii, she has incorporated words from the Hawaiian language each having more than one meaning. This gives the reader a better understanding of why her central character’s name is Pono and his sidekick is Kuleana. I found this wonderful book to be a fabulous teaching tool for children and adults alike, and the illustrations are delightful. Children have the ability to gain an understanding of sometimes-complex ideas when presented with pictures and in story form. Hence, the story of Pono and Kuleana. I’d recommend Ms. Lewis book to anyone with youngsters who are experiencing or have experienced, stress in their young lives. And while the parent, grandparent or perhaps teacher is reading the story, they will gain a lot from Pono’s story as well.

Book reviewed by Linda Thompson
United States