UH Press Titles Honored with 2019 Ka Palapala Po‘okela Awards

Seven books that received Ka Palapala awardsAt the 2019 Ka Palapala Po‘okela awards presentation on December 13, we were delighted that seven of our titles were selected as honorees. These included:
Pathway of the Birds: The Voyaging Achievements of Māori and Their Polynesian Ancestors, by New Zealand author Andrew Crowe, won in two categories: Illustrative or Photographic Books and Text or Reference Books.
Light in the Queen’s Garden: Ida May Pope, Pioneer for Hawaiʻi’s Daughters, 1862–1914, by San Diego educator Sandra Bonura, won the Award of Excellence for Nonfiction.
The Charm Buyers, a novel by Lillian Howan, won the Award of Excellence for Literature.
Nā Wāhine Koa: Hawaiian Women for Sovereignty and Demilitarization, with personal essays by Moanikeʻala Akaka, Maxine Kahaulelio, Terrilee Kekoʻolani-Raymond, and Loretta Ritte; edited by Noelani Kaʻōpua-Goodyear, tied as winner in the Hawaiian Language, Culture, and History category.
In Haste with Aloha: Letters and Diaries of Queen Emma, 1881–1885, edited by David W. Forbes, tied for honorable mention in the Nonfiction category.
Kalaupapa Place Names: Waikolu to Nihoa, John R. K. Clark, received the honorable mention in Text or Reference Books.
Inhouse Design of New Zealand won in the Design category for Tatau: A History of Sāmoan Tattooing, by Sean Mallon and Sébastien Galliot.

For a complete list of results and nominees, and a link to photos of the event, visit the Hawai‘i Book Publishers Association website.

2017 Ka Palapala Po‘okela Awards: UH Press Nominees

June 23, 2017: This post has been updated with the results shown in bold.

Now in its 23rd year, the Ka Palapala Po‘okela Awards are presented by Hawai‘i Book Publishers Association to honor Hawai‘i’s finest books and their authors, illustrators, photographers, designers, and publishers. While previously given annually, HBPA has switched to a biennial schedule, and this year’s eligible titles have 2015 and 2016 copyright dates. The winners will be announced at the awards celebration scheduled for Thursday, June 22, 6 to 8:30 pm, at the ARTS at Marks Garage in downtown Honolulu; the event is free and open to the public.

University of Hawai‘i Press nominees include (listed alphabetically by author’s last name):

The Healers by Kimo Armitage (Excellence in Literature)

The Lives of Hawai‘i’s Dolphins and Whales: Natural History and Conservation by Robin W. Baird (Honorable Mention for Excellence in Natural Science)

Facing the Spears of Change: The Life and Legacy of John Papa ‘Ī‘ī by Marie Alohalani Brown (Winner of the Award of Excellence in Hawaiian Language, Culture & History)

Royal Hawaiian Featherwork: Nā Hulu Aliʻi by Leah Caldeira, Christina Hellmich, Adrienne L. Kaeppler, Betty Lou Kam, Roger G. Rose; copublished with Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (Excellence in Hawaiian Language, Culture & History; Winner of the Award of Excellence in Illustrative or Photographic Books)

Hawai‘i’s Animals Do the Most Amazing Things by Marion Coste, illustrated by Rena Ekmanis (Honorable Mention for Excellence in Children’s Literature)

Sunny Skies, Shady Characters: Cops, Killers, and Corruption in the Aloha State by James Dooley (Honorable Mention for Excellence in Nonfiction)

Hawai‘i’s Scenic Roads: Paving the Way for Tourism in the Islands by Dawn E. Duensing (Excellence in Nonfiction)

Picture Bride Stories by Barbara F. Kawakami (Excellence in Nonfiction)

Unearthing the Polynesian Past: Explorations and Adventures of an Island Archaeologist by Patrick Vinton Kirch (Excellence in Nonfiction)

Hawai‘i’s Kōlea: The Amazing Transpacific Life of the Pacific Golden-Plover by Oscar W. Johnson and Susan Scott (Winner of the Award of Excellence in Natural Science)

Murder Frames the Scene by Victoria Nalani Kneubuhl (Winner of the Award of Excellence in Literature)

Protea: A Guide to Cultivated Species and Varieties by Lewis J. Matthews (Excellence in Natural Science)

For a Song by Rodney Morales (Excellence in Literature)

Plants for the Tropical Xeriscape: A Gardener’s Guide by Fred D. Rauch and Paul R. Weissich (Excellence in Natural Science)

Bayonets in Paradise: Martial Law in Hawai‘i during World War II by Harry N. Scheiber and Jane L. Scheiber (Excellence in Nonfiction)

Curve of the Hook: An Archaeologist in Polynesia by Yosihiko Sinoto with Hiroshi Aramata; edited by Frank Stewart; translated by Frank Stewart and Madoka Nagadō (Winner of the Award of Excellence in Nonfiction)

A Sky Wonderful with Stars: 50 Years of Modern Astronomy on Maunakea by Michael J. West (Excellence in Illustrative or Photographic Books and designer Mardee Melton for Excellence in Design)

For a complete list of this year’s nominated titles, see the HBPA website.

Best wishes to each of our nominees!

2015 Ka Palapala Po‘okela Awards: UH Press Nominees

KaPalapala2015-inviteThe 22nd annual Ka Palapala Po‘okela Awards celebration is scheduled for Thursday, April 23, 6 to 9 p.m., at Imin Conference Center (Jefferson Hall) at the East-West Center, which adjoins University of Hawai‘i’s Mānoa campus. Hawaii News Now reporter/commentator Howard Dicus will again be the ceremony emcee. The awards are presented annually by Hawai‘i Book Publishers Association to honor Hawai‘i’s finest books and their authors, illustrators, designers, and publishers.

Titles with a 2014 copyright date were eligible for this year’s awards. UH Press has a wonderful group of nominees (listed alphabetically by author’s name):

North Shore Place Names: Ka‘ena to Kahuku, by John R. K. Clark
(Excellence in Hawaiian Language, Culture & History)

Ocean to Plate: Cooking Fish with Hawai‘i’s Kusuma Cooray, by Kusuma Cooray; designed by Mardee Melton
(Excellence in Cookbooks; Excellence in Design)

Hawaiian Plant Life: Vegetation and Flora, by Robert J. Gustafson, Derral R. Herbst, and Philip W. Rundel; designed by Mardee Melton
(Excellence in Illustrative or Photographic Books; Excellence in Natural Science; Excellence in Design)

‘Ike Ulana Lau Hala: The Vitality and Vibrancy of Lau Hala Weaving Traditions in Hawai‘i, edited by Lia O’Neill Keawe, Marsha MacDowell, and C. Kurt Dewhurst
(Excellence in Hawaiian Language, Culture & History)

Kua‘āina Kahiko: Life and Land in Ancient Kahikinui, Maui, by Patrick Vinton Kirch
(Excellence in Hawaiian Language, Culture & History; Excellence in Nonfiction)

Sovereign Sugar: Industry and Environment in Hawai‘i, by Carol A. MacLennan
(Excellence in Nonfiction)

From Race to Ethnicity: Interpreting Japanese American Experiences in Hawai‘i, by Jonathan Y. Okamura
(Excellence in Nonfiction)

I Ulu I Ka ‘Aina: Land, edited by Jonathan Osorio
(Excellence in Hawaiian Language, Culture & History)

The Watersmart Garden: 100 Great Plants for the Tropical Xeriscape, by Fred D. Rauch and Paul R. Weissich
(Excellence in Natural Science)

Local Story: The Massie-Kahahawai Case and the Culture of History, by John P. Rosa
(Excellence in Nonfiction)

Call Me Captain: A Memoir of a Woman at Sea, by Susan Scott
(Excellence in Nonfiction)

Wahine Volleyball: 40 Years Coaching Hawai‘i’s Team, by Dave Shoji with Ann Miller; designed by Julie Matsuo-Chun
(Excellence in Special-Interest Books; Excellence in Design)

Surfing Places, Surfboard Makers: Craft, Creativity, and Cultural Heritage in Hawai‘i, California, and Australia; by Andrew Warren and Chris Gibson
(Excellence in Special-Interest Books)

The Value of Hawai‘i 2: Ancestral Roots, Oceanic Visions; edited by Aiko Yamashiro and Noelani Goodyear-Kaʻōpua
(Excellence in Nonfiction)

In addition to the above UHP titles, ones distributed by UH Press were nominated by their respective publishers:

‘Io Lani: The Hawaiian Hawk; photographs by William S. Chillingworth with essays by John L. Culliney

Breaking the Silence: Lessons of Democracy and Social Justice from the World War II Honouliuli Internment and POW Camp in Hawai‘i, edited by Suzanne Falgout and Linda Nishigaya

Secrets of Diamond Head : A History and Trail Guide, by Denby Fawcett

Lihu‘e: Root and Branch of a Hawai‘i Town, by Pat L. Griffin

Keka‘a: The Making and Saving of North Beach West Maui, by Sydney Lehua Iaukea

Reflections of Honor: The Untold Story of a Nisei Spy, by Lorraine Ward and Katherine Erwin with Yoshinobu Oshiro

For a complete list of this year’s nominees, read the Hawaii Book Blog post.

Kudos and good wishes to all!

2014 Ka Palapala Po‘okela Awards: UH Press Nominees

KPP2014-award-inviteNow marking its 21st year, the Ka Palapala Po‘okela Awards are presented annually by Hawai‘i Book Publishers Association to honor Hawai‘i’s finest books and their authors, illustrators, designers, and publishers. This year’s awards presentation is scheduled for Thursday, April 24, 6 to 9 pm, at the East-West Center auditorium, with local news reporter/commentator Howard Dicus as the ceremony emcee. Watch the HawaiiNewsNow Sunrise show on the morning of April 23 for a story on the awards.

Titles with a 2013 copyright date were eligible this year. The UH Press nominees are:

The Hikers Guide to O‘ahu: Updated and Expanded, by Stuart M. Ball, Jr.
(Excellence in Special-Interest Books)

Restoring Paradise: Rethinking and Rebuilding Nature in Hawai‘i, by Robert J. Cabin
(Excellence in Natural Science)

Ma‘i Lepera: Disease and Displacement in Nineteenth-Century Hawai‘i, by Kerri A. Inglis
(Excellence in Hawaiian Language, Culture, and History; Excellence in Nonfiction)

Brothers under a Same Sky, by Gary Pak
(Excellence in Literature)

Japanese Buddhist Temples in Hawai‘i: An Illustrated Guide, by George J. Tanabe and Willa Jane Tanabe
(Excellence in Special-Interest Books; Excellence in Design) UPDATE: Winner of the Award of Excellence in Special-Interest Books

Best wishes to each of our nominees!

UH Press Titles Honored at 2013 Ka Palapala Po‘okela Awards

Last Friday the Hawai‘i Book Publishers Association announced the winners of this year’s Ka Palapala Po‘okela book awards at a ceremony at the Hawai‘i State Library. UH Press titles were recognized with seven of the twenty awards, including the top Samuel M. Kamakau Award for Hawai‘i Book of the Year, which was bestowed on Kalaupapa: A Collective Memory, by Anwei Skinsnes Law with design by Julie Matsuo-Chun. In addition, the book tied as the winner of the Award of Excellence in the Hawaiian Language, Culture and History category and received an honorable mention in Nonfiction.

Author Anwei Law accepts an Award of Excellence from HBPA president David DeLuca.
Author Anwei Law accepts an award for Kalaupapa: A Collective Memory from HBPA president David DeLuca. (photo courtesy of HBPA)

Warm accolades also went to these UH Press titles and their authors:

Ancestry of Experience: A Journey into Hawaiian Ways of Knowing, by Leilani Holmes — Winner (tie) of the Award of Excellence in Hawaiian Language, Culture & History

Leilani Holmes shares her award with husband Ivan Holmes, designer of Ancestry of Experience.
Leilani Holmes shares her award with husband Ivan Holmes, designer of Ancestry of Experience.

I Respectfully Dissent: A Biography of Edward H. Nakamura, by Tom Coffman — Winner of the Award of Excellence in Nonfiction

Loulu: The Hawaiian Palm, by Donald R. Hodel — Winner of the Award of Excellence in Natural Science

The ‘Ukulele: A History, by Jim Tranquada and John King — Winner of the Award of Excellence in Special-Interest Books

Read the Hawaii Book Blog post on the event for complete results. See more photos on the HBPA website.

May 2013 Author Events

It’s a busy month on the Hawai‘i homefront, with several authors visiting from elsewhere, as well as annual events—Ka Palapala Po‘okela awards and Hawai‘i Book & Music Festival.

Thursday, May 9
7:30 p.m., University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Art Auditorium
Hawaiian Historical Society will present a special two-part program examining the history of the leprosy settlement at Kalaupapa, seen from the perspective of the patients and families who lived there. UH Press authors Kerri Inglis and Anwei Law will give separate presentations based on their respective books, Ma‘i Lepera: Disease and Displacement in Nineteenth-Century Hawai‘i and Kalaupapa: A Collective Memory. For complete details on this free event, see the HHS post.

Friday, May 10
5:30-8:00 p.m., Hawai‘i State Library
Anticipation is building! Hawai‘i Book Publishers Association will announce the winners of this year’s Ka Palapala Po‘okela awards. Read our previous post here.

Saturday, May 11
11 a.m. to 3 p.m., San Diego Zoo
Donald Hodel will be at the ZooStore to sign copies of his book, Loulu: the Hawaiian Palm. (Unlike the others, this event, obviously, is in San Diego rather than Hawai‘i.)

Saturday, May 11
4:00-5:30 p.m., Native Books/Nā Mea Hawai‘i
Come to the book talk/signing with Leilani Holmes on Ancestry of Experience. See the earlier post for details.

Saturday-Sunday, May 18 & 19
All day, Frank F. Fasi Civic Center next to Honolulu Hale
Plan your weekend around the Hawai‘i Book & Music Festival—visit http://hawaiibookandmusicfestival.com/ to see the complete schedule and map. Several UH Press authors will be presenters and please visit our booth near the Hawai‘i Council for the Humanities pavilion.

Monday, May 20
7:00-8:30 p.m., Lyman Museum & Mission House, Hilo
Sandra Bonura coauthor of An American Girl in the Hawaiian Islands: Letters of Carrie Prudence Winter, 1890-1893, will speak about the book and its fascinating backstory. Visit Dr. Bonura’s website to learn more.

Friday, May 31
4:00 p.m., Neal S. Blaisdell Center
Kalaupapa: A Collective Memory will be receiving a Preservation Media Award from the Historic Hawaii Foundation. The award ceremony will take place at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu in the Pīkake Room at 4:00 pm. A reception will follow the presentation program. Tickets to the awards ceremony may be purchased for $45 each (HHF members) or $60 (general admission). Click here for more information.

2013 Ka Palapala Po‘okela Awards: UH Press Nominees

Ka Palapala Po'okelaThe annual Ka Palapala Po‘okela Awards are presented by Hawai‘i Book Publishers Association to honor Hawai‘i’s finest books and their authors, illustrators, designers, and publishers. This year’s awards presentation is scheduled for Friday, May 10, 5:30 to 8 p.m., at the Hawai‘i State Library, 478 South King Street. The Library is cosponsoring the awards as part of their Centennial Anniversary celebration.

Titles with a 2012 copyright date were eligible this year. Here are our nominees:

Native Paths to Volunteer Trails: Hiking and Trail Building on O‘ahu, by Stuart M. Ball, Jr.
(Excellence in Special-Interest Books)

If It Swings, It’s Music: The Autobiography of Hawai‘i’s Gabe Baltazar Jr., by Gabe Baltazar Jr. with Theo Garneau
(Excellence in Nonfiction)

An American Girl in the Hawaiian Islands: Letters of Carrie Prudence Winter, 1890-1893, edited by Sandra Bonura and Deborah Day
(Excellence in Nonfiction)

I Respectfully Dissent: A Biography of Edward H. Nakamura, by Tom Coffman
(Excellence in Nonfiction)

Loulu: The Hawaiian Palm, by Donald R. Hodel
(Excellence in Natural Science)

Ancestry of Experience: A Journey into Hawaiian Ways of Knowing, by Leilani Holmes
(Excellence in Hawaiian Language, Culture & History)

Kalaupapa: A Collective Memory, by Anwei Skinsnes Law
(Excellence in Hawaiian Language, Culture & History; Excellence in Nonfiction; Excellence in Design)

Hawai‘i’s Mauna Loa Observatory: Fifty Years of Monitoring the Atmosphere, by Forrest M. Mims III
(Excellence in Natural Science)

The ‘Ukulele: A History, by Jim Tranquada and John King
(Excellence in Special-Interest Books)

The Painted King: Art, Activism, and Authenticity in Hawai‘i, by Glenn Wharton
(Excellence in Special-Interest Books)

Kudos to all!

UH Press at HBPA Holiday Events

As a member of the Hawai‘i Book Publishers Association (HBPA), University of Hawai‘i Press will participate in two Honolulu events hosted by fellow publishers this month.

HBPA Holiday Book SaleSaturday, December 8, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Holiday Warehouse Sale
Local book publishers will feature their new releases, bestsellers, and holiday-themed titles at special prices. UH Press will focus on a selection of our most recent books on Hawai‘i. Come join the fun at the Bess Press Warehouse, 3565 Harding Avenue, in Kaimuki (park at the municipal lot across the street). Other participating publishers include host Bess Press, Bamboo Ridge Press, Bishop Museum Press, Calabash Books/Belknap Publishing, Kamehameha Publishing, and Watermark Publishing.

Wednesday, December 12, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Downtown Holiday Book Fair
This brief but power-packed event will be an opportunity for busy downtown workers to check off their holiday gift-giving lists! As above, we’ll bring our latest Hawai‘i titles, plus a few surprises. Look for the pop-up fair at the Cades Schutte Building lanai, in front of 24-Fitness and Territorial Savings, 1000 Bishop Street (‘ewa-mauka corner of King and Bishop Streets). Other participating publishers include host Watermark Publishing, Bamboo Ridge Press, Bess Press, Calabash Books/Belknap Publishing, Island Paradise Publishing, Kamehameha Publishing, and Slate Ridge Press.

For more information, email Carol Abe in the UH Press marketing department.