Hilo Legends

by Frances Reed

The charming legends associated with landmarks around the town of Hilo have been retold in words and pictures in this compilation of favorite stories. Included are "How Hilo Got Its Name," "The Story of Coconut Island" and the Maui and Hina legends centering on Rainbow Falls and The Boiling Pots. For many years Frances Reed was a children's Librarian at the Hawaii County Library and used these tales in her story-telling hours. Jan Moon is a well-known Hilo artist and illustrator. Both women had lived in Hilo for 30 years when they worked together to create an enchanting book that will be enjoyed by both adults and children.

Genres: History

52 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1987

Reviews

[Diz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the legends in this collection are about local landmarks, so if you are familiar with the landmarks in Hilo or are visiting Hilo in the near future, these stories can be interesting. If you're not familiar with the landmarks, the stories here may not capture your imagination.

[Eric Shaffer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and interesting read.

[Bonnie Irwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some wonderful little legends in this slim volume that explain how various things in Hilo got their names, including the town itself. The Wailuku River plays a major role in many of them. A good book for those who have been to Hilo or who are interested in Hilo lore.

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Myths of the Hawaiian Islands. Informative with fabulous illustrations.

[Lavinia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I was really prepared to remember last week's trip to Hawaii with this book. I played some hawaiian music and started reading these legends. I was hoping to see tradition and be absorbed into the storyteller's world. Instead, the writing has no passion, no natural flow, it's only a direct display of facts (well, not really facts, right?) I enjoyed reading about the places that I visited myself, some of the legends were interesting, but they lacked the foundation (for example, I'm not at all familiar with the early religion of hawaiians, I had to have a wikipedia tab around so that I can get some context for what I'm reading).

The reason for this bad rating is not in the legend itself, but because of the author. Frances Reed doesn't seem to have any storytelling skills whatsoever. A teenager could tell a story better than the way it's told in this book. Luckily, the book was short (the edition I'm reading has about 70 pages), so it was an ok-read for one evening to get familiar just a little bit with what hawaiians thought.

[J. Wootton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very local folklore collection, establishing a clearer geography for the reader than a more generic (e.g., "Hawaiian Legends") does.