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American Girl: Nanea #1
The Spirit of Aloha
Nine-year-old Nanea may be the youngest in her family, but she still wants to "dip her paddle in" and be useful. She knows she's grown-up enough to help in her grandparents' market. But before she can prove that she's ready for more responsibility, the unthinkable happens: Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, the naval base where her father works, and America is at war! With friends and family missing, and rumors of more attacks to come, Nanea worries―will life ever be the same again?
144 pages, Paperback
First published August 21, 2017
24 people are currently reading
497 people want to read
About the author
Kirby Larson
48 books439 followersKirby Larson went from history-phobe to history fanatic while writing the 2007 Newbery Honor Book, HATTIE BIG SKY. Her passion for historical fiction is reflected in titles such as THE FENCES BETWEEN US, THE FRIENDSHIP DOLL, as well as the sequel to HATTIE BIG SKY, HATTIE EVER AFTER, and her two latest titles, DUKE--which was nominated for 5 state Young Reader Choice awards as well as being a finalist for the Washington State Book Award-- and DASH--which has garnered two starred reviews, a NAPPA Gold Award and a Capitol Choices nomination. She will have two new books out in 2016 -- watch for them!
In 2006, Kirby began a collaboration with her good friend Mary Nethery resulting in two award-winning nonfiction picture books: TWO BOBBIES: A TRUE STORY OF HURRICANE KATRINA, FRIENDSHIP AND SURVIVAL, and NUBS: THE TRUE STORY OF A MUTT, A MARINE AND A MIRACLE.
Kirby lives in Kenmore, Washington with her husband, Neil, and Winston the Wonder Dog. When she’s not reading or writing Kirby enjoys beach combing, bird watching, and traveling. She owns a tiara and is not afraid to use it.
In 2006, Kirby began a collaboration with her good friend Mary Nethery resulting in two award-winning nonfiction picture books: TWO BOBBIES: A TRUE STORY OF HURRICANE KATRINA, FRIENDSHIP AND SURVIVAL, and NUBS: THE TRUE STORY OF A MUTT, A MARINE AND A MIRACLE.
Kirby lives in Kenmore, Washington with her husband, Neil, and Winston the Wonder Dog. When she’s not reading or writing Kirby enjoys beach combing, bird watching, and traveling. She owns a tiara and is not afraid to use it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
January 1, 2018
I wasn't super impressed by the first half of this book -- Nanea's concerns about feeling like the baby of the family weren't really supported by the text, a lot of her family interactions seemed superficial, and I wanted more about her family's Hawaiian customs/what was unique about living in Hawaii at the time. (It honestly felt like the author made her dad white so that she didn't have to put as much effort into describing an ethnic Hawaiian family. Lots of stuff about her relationship with her dad compared to her mom, and her relationships with her grandparents/grandma figure next door seemed underdeveloped. In terms of the local culture, the book mostly talked about leis and hula, but generally on a superficial level.) However, once Pearl Harbor happened about halfway through, I felt like the emotional content of the book was more sincere, Nanea felt more developed as a character, and the plot really got going.
November 28, 2017
Read this outloud with my younger sister (I mean, Kirby Larson wrote it, so I knew I'd be reading it), and though it took a while due to colds and whatnot, we finished it and enjoyed the story very much!
November 7, 2024
it is with a heavy heart that i report i did not like this book 3
Of course, I liked Nanea herself. There hasn't been an American Girl so far that I wasn't charmed by - I'm inclined to like kind-hearted and spunky girls in any kind of media, especially kid lit.
But her books... I just don't think they're very good.
First of all, they're BeForever books - the first ones I've had to read in this journey. That means only two books, 200~ pages each, no illustrations, a MEASLY TWO PAGE PEAK INTO THE PAST WITH NO PICTURES. I hate this. I hate this so much. It's really really bad and I'm still malding about it.
I understand, practically, why they'd merge it into two books. It doesn't really make sense to ask parents to spend 9 dollars on a 60 page book. I get it! But like... I think it would have been very easy to simply... make each book a collection of three stories? That way you get bang for your buck, but you also get the benefits of stories which really focus in on a couple of themes. In this current stucture, it's just a lot of stuff happening that never feels like it all gets wrapped up. It's very wonky. And while I miss the big illustrations a lot, I found what I missed the most were the vignette pictures. I feel like those gave you an amazing glimpse into the little things, the material reality of this girls world. A reminder of how things were different and how they were the same as now.
Also, this is just a me problem, but I hated how much of these books focused on her dog. I'm sure that for many people this is a selling point, and I'm very happy for them! But it was deeply unappealing to me. I don't like that so much of the worry in the aftermath of a girl living through the attacks on Pearl Harbor was "well what about my dog tho :(". Like. She has friends and family who are in danger, her school is burning, her home is under attack!! I don't want to hear about the dog!!
There's also a pretty notable lack of commentary on colonization in this book. There's acknowledgement that the population of Hawaii comes from a variety of places. And that's great! And there's some brief mentions of Hawaiian royalty. But despite... y'know... being Native Hawaiian... in a time where Hawaii was still a US territory and not even a proper state... there's just nothing.
There is some discussion of Japanese internment, which is a nice change from the Molly books, but I found the discussion to be pretty lacking.
Of course, I liked Nanea herself. There hasn't been an American Girl so far that I wasn't charmed by - I'm inclined to like kind-hearted and spunky girls in any kind of media, especially kid lit.
But her books... I just don't think they're very good.
First of all, they're BeForever books - the first ones I've had to read in this journey. That means only two books, 200~ pages each, no illustrations, a MEASLY TWO PAGE PEAK INTO THE PAST WITH NO PICTURES. I hate this. I hate this so much. It's really really bad and I'm still malding about it.
I understand, practically, why they'd merge it into two books. It doesn't really make sense to ask parents to spend 9 dollars on a 60 page book. I get it! But like... I think it would have been very easy to simply... make each book a collection of three stories? That way you get bang for your buck, but you also get the benefits of stories which really focus in on a couple of themes. In this current stucture, it's just a lot of stuff happening that never feels like it all gets wrapped up. It's very wonky. And while I miss the big illustrations a lot, I found what I missed the most were the vignette pictures. I feel like those gave you an amazing glimpse into the little things, the material reality of this girls world. A reminder of how things were different and how they were the same as now.
Also, this is just a me problem, but I hated how much of these books focused on her dog. I'm sure that for many people this is a selling point, and I'm very happy for them! But it was deeply unappealing to me. I don't like that so much of the worry in the aftermath of a girl living through the attacks on Pearl Harbor was "well what about my dog tho :(". Like. She has friends and family who are in danger, her school is burning, her home is under attack!! I don't want to hear about the dog!!
There's also a pretty notable lack of commentary on colonization in this book. There's acknowledgement that the population of Hawaii comes from a variety of places. And that's great! And there's some brief mentions of Hawaiian royalty. But despite... y'know... being Native Hawaiian... in a time where Hawaii was still a US territory and not even a proper state... there's just nothing.
There is some discussion of Japanese internment, which is a nice change from the Molly books, but I found the discussion to be pretty lacking.
September 10, 2017
This story had too many elements of Maryellen's stories to be original.
January 26, 2024
Me, the whole book: [Nanea] there’s people that are dying
3⭐️
3⭐️
February 15, 2023
Read out loud for our upcoming trip to Hawaii. Just a step above, “Eh.”
November 21, 2017
By the time Mattel rebranded the historical dolls from the American Girls collection, my Kiddo’s doll days were behind her, so I didn’t really pay attention to what was going on with any of these new dolls until I read that Molly, the WWII girl on the home front, was being retired. Molly was the fun favorite in our house, and we were sad to see her.
Now, however, there’s a new WWII girl in the American Girls collection and her name is Nanea Mitchell, a 9 year old girl who lives on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. She has two older siblings, a sister named Mary Lou, 15, and a brother named David, 17. Their mother was born on the island and is Hawaiian, and their dad came from Oregon and is white.
It’s 1941 and Nanea would like her parents to stop treating her like a baby and give her more responsibility. With the help of her friends, Lily, who is Japanese, and Donna, who is from California, Nanea decides to enter a contest that requires contestants to do a number of nice things for others.
In the first few chapters of Growing Up with Aloha, readers see that Nanea’s life is pretty much what you would expect - there’s school, friends, her little dog Mele, but there are also hula lessons with her grandmother, practicing for the big USO Christmas show, and making lei’s to be sold on Boat Day - the day ships full of tourist arrived in Hawaii. Luckily, there are also a few opportunities for Nanea to do some nice things for others.
But on December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor is attacked and everything changes overnight. Nanea’s dad, who works in Pearl Harbor’s shipyard, and Richard, a Boy Scout with first aid training, both leave immediately to see what they can do to help. Everyone is scared, and there are all kinds of rumors about more attacks coming, and to make thing more difficult for the people, the radios are knocked offline. And then, Nanea realizes that her little Mele is missing.
Lily’s father is immediately taken into custody by two FBI men because he is Japanese and Lily's anger and fear cause her to suddenly have trouble being friends with Nanea and Donna.
Once war is declared, it doesn’t take long for the women of Oahu to mobilize for the war effort, and despite missing her father, brother and dog, and despite the changes war brings, it is an opportunity for Nanea to prove just how responsible she can be. Will she succeed in accomplishing the requirements of the contest in time, though?
This is a first book (so far, there are three) and so there’s lots of introductory information in it, which, at times, make the storyline it a little awkward, but it’s a very interesting look at the impact the bombing of Pearl Harbor had on the people of Oahu as seen through the eyes of a 9 year old girl.
Growing Up with Aloha also contains a lot of interesting information about Hawaiian culture and life, and there is a liberal sprinkling of Hawaiian words used (there’s a glossary with pronunciation help in the back).
Nanea’s home front story is very different from Molly’s, mostly because her story is set in 1941 in a place that did get bombed, and Molly's stories are set in 1944 in a relatively safe place in middle America. And, whereas Molly was more about the war in Europe, I suspect Nanea’s will be more about the war in the Pacific.
Growing Up with Aloha was written by Kirby Larson, no stranger to middle grade WWII books (see my reviews of Liberty, Dash and Duke). I found this to be every bit as satisfying, readable, and informative novel as Larson's other historical fiction.
The word Aloha is defined in the glossary as meaning hello, goodbye, love, compassion, and it does mean those things, but it is more than that. The school that Nanea and her friends go to is named after Queen Liliuokalani (1838-1917), Hawaii’s first queen and last monarch and who is credited with saying that Aloha Spirit “… is hear what is not said, to see what cannot be seen, and to know the unknowable.” As you read Growing Up with Aloha, you’ll notice here are many examples of Aloha Spirit in the book as Nanea herself comes to understand it better.
And do read Inside Nanea's World at the end of the book for more background information about the effects the bombing of Pearl Harbor had on her and the other Hawaiian people.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was purchased for my personal library
Now, however, there’s a new WWII girl in the American Girls collection and her name is Nanea Mitchell, a 9 year old girl who lives on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. She has two older siblings, a sister named Mary Lou, 15, and a brother named David, 17. Their mother was born on the island and is Hawaiian, and their dad came from Oregon and is white.
It’s 1941 and Nanea would like her parents to stop treating her like a baby and give her more responsibility. With the help of her friends, Lily, who is Japanese, and Donna, who is from California, Nanea decides to enter a contest that requires contestants to do a number of nice things for others.
In the first few chapters of Growing Up with Aloha, readers see that Nanea’s life is pretty much what you would expect - there’s school, friends, her little dog Mele, but there are also hula lessons with her grandmother, practicing for the big USO Christmas show, and making lei’s to be sold on Boat Day - the day ships full of tourist arrived in Hawaii. Luckily, there are also a few opportunities for Nanea to do some nice things for others.
But on December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor is attacked and everything changes overnight. Nanea’s dad, who works in Pearl Harbor’s shipyard, and Richard, a Boy Scout with first aid training, both leave immediately to see what they can do to help. Everyone is scared, and there are all kinds of rumors about more attacks coming, and to make thing more difficult for the people, the radios are knocked offline. And then, Nanea realizes that her little Mele is missing.
Lily’s father is immediately taken into custody by two FBI men because he is Japanese and Lily's anger and fear cause her to suddenly have trouble being friends with Nanea and Donna.
Once war is declared, it doesn’t take long for the women of Oahu to mobilize for the war effort, and despite missing her father, brother and dog, and despite the changes war brings, it is an opportunity for Nanea to prove just how responsible she can be. Will she succeed in accomplishing the requirements of the contest in time, though?
This is a first book (so far, there are three) and so there’s lots of introductory information in it, which, at times, make the storyline it a little awkward, but it’s a very interesting look at the impact the bombing of Pearl Harbor had on the people of Oahu as seen through the eyes of a 9 year old girl.
Growing Up with Aloha also contains a lot of interesting information about Hawaiian culture and life, and there is a liberal sprinkling of Hawaiian words used (there’s a glossary with pronunciation help in the back).
Nanea’s home front story is very different from Molly’s, mostly because her story is set in 1941 in a place that did get bombed, and Molly's stories are set in 1944 in a relatively safe place in middle America. And, whereas Molly was more about the war in Europe, I suspect Nanea’s will be more about the war in the Pacific.
Growing Up with Aloha was written by Kirby Larson, no stranger to middle grade WWII books (see my reviews of Liberty, Dash and Duke). I found this to be every bit as satisfying, readable, and informative novel as Larson's other historical fiction.
The word Aloha is defined in the glossary as meaning hello, goodbye, love, compassion, and it does mean those things, but it is more than that. The school that Nanea and her friends go to is named after Queen Liliuokalani (1838-1917), Hawaii’s first queen and last monarch and who is credited with saying that Aloha Spirit “… is hear what is not said, to see what cannot be seen, and to know the unknowable.” As you read Growing Up with Aloha, you’ll notice here are many examples of Aloha Spirit in the book as Nanea herself comes to understand it better.
And do read Inside Nanea's World at the end of the book for more background information about the effects the bombing of Pearl Harbor had on her and the other Hawaiian people.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was purchased for my personal library
October 1, 2019
Continuing my reads of historical American Girls that showed up after I aged out of the target demographic! The newest of the historical line girls, Nanea's story is a different take on WWII than Molly McIntire's, a Hawaiian girl living in Honolulu when the Pearl Harbor attack happens.
Given how I felt about my last middle grade WWII historical fiction from Kirby Larson (The Fences Between Us), I was peeking between my fingers hoping this wouldn't be as disrespectful a take. Luckily, AG consulted with an advisory board to make sure Nanea's world felt true to life, and Nanea's far more sympathetic to the plights of her friends than Piper Davis was (I did wonder if Piper's brother was going to cameo, but no).
Nanea is tired of being treated like a baby as the youngest, and wants to be responsible and help her friends and family. When war comes home, she faces opportunities to help all while her world gets tightened under martial law. Some of the dialog felt younger than 9, but I'm two decades past that point so take a chunk of salt with my judgement there.
It looks like starting in 2015, historical line books got condensed into two volumes instead of six, and with illustrations removed- perhaps to appeal to more of a middle grade audience? I couldn't discern split points if this were to be one, and maybe this gives authors more flexibility to flesh out a story in >80 pages. I do feel like illustrations are a classic part of American Girl, though, especially putting faces to the names of friends and family (and earlier this year they announced that illustrations are being added to these in reissues). I don't recall previous books being as on-the-nose describing some of the outfits and things which are surely available for purchase in a catalog...! I also think this could've been a great #ownvoices opportunity, but fine I guess Kirby can keep writing books about youths in WWII because this wasn't terrible.
Given how I felt about my last middle grade WWII historical fiction from Kirby Larson (The Fences Between Us), I was peeking between my fingers hoping this wouldn't be as disrespectful a take. Luckily, AG consulted with an advisory board to make sure Nanea's world felt true to life, and Nanea's far more sympathetic to the plights of her friends than Piper Davis was (I did wonder if Piper's brother was going to cameo, but no).
Nanea is tired of being treated like a baby as the youngest, and wants to be responsible and help her friends and family. When war comes home, she faces opportunities to help all while her world gets tightened under martial law. Some of the dialog felt younger than 9, but I'm two decades past that point so take a chunk of salt with my judgement there.
It looks like starting in 2015, historical line books got condensed into two volumes instead of six, and with illustrations removed- perhaps to appeal to more of a middle grade audience? I couldn't discern split points if this were to be one, and maybe this gives authors more flexibility to flesh out a story in >80 pages. I do feel like illustrations are a classic part of American Girl, though, especially putting faces to the names of friends and family (and earlier this year they announced that illustrations are being added to these in reissues). I don't recall previous books being as on-the-nose describing some of the outfits and things which are surely available for purchase in a catalog...! I also think this could've been a great #ownvoices opportunity, but fine I guess Kirby can keep writing books about youths in WWII because this wasn't terrible.
March 6, 2023
The great AG marathon continues. Again, reading for the first time as an adult, inspired by the American Girls podcast.
Nanea's series starts as a chipper, sunshiney island story, introducing the reader to her family and their Hawai'ian traditions. Nanea has two wonderful best friends and her biggest problem is that she thinks her family still treats her like a little kid. It's fun, and the reader sort of floats along, observing a hula lesson and a school day and making leis.
But of course the reason Nanea's year is 1941 is on the horizon. On the morning of December 7, we find Nanea up early making a surprise breakfast for her family (to show them all how grown up she is), and she sees the planes overhead. Everything starts to change quickly: her father is working long days at the shipyard, her brother is helping deliver blood, her friend's father is taken into custody because he's Japanese, and there's no sign of her dog for days after the attack. Curfews and blackouts are instituted. It could have all gotten a bit grim at this point, but Nanea is resilient, and her good spirits buoy her, and the book.
Nanea's series starts as a chipper, sunshiney island story, introducing the reader to her family and their Hawai'ian traditions. Nanea has two wonderful best friends and her biggest problem is that she thinks her family still treats her like a little kid. It's fun, and the reader sort of floats along, observing a hula lesson and a school day and making leis.
But of course the reason Nanea's year is 1941 is on the horizon. On the morning of December 7, we find Nanea up early making a surprise breakfast for her family (to show them all how grown up she is), and she sees the planes overhead. Everything starts to change quickly: her father is working long days at the shipyard, her brother is helping deliver blood, her friend's father is taken into custody because he's Japanese, and there's no sign of her dog for days after the attack. Curfews and blackouts are instituted. It could have all gotten a bit grim at this point, but Nanea is resilient, and her good spirits buoy her, and the book.
January 4, 2018
This AG book is set in Hawaii in 1941 and covers the attack of Pearl Harbor.
May 24, 2021
you may be asking yourself why at 27 years old i'm reading an american girl book but hey, my interest was sparked when i heard they were re-releasing the original historical dolls for their anniversary this year lol. i was an avid reader of the books when i was a kid and i was really intrigued by the new historical characters, especially nanea since her time period is almost the same as molly's! i don't remember seeing such a big overlap in the time periods before.
anyway, i was pleasantly surprised by how much i enjoyed the book. it started off feeling a bit juvenile, as expected since i'm def not the target age group, but from the actual attack on pearl harbor onward, i felt really immersed in the story. i really appreciated the sudden shift in tone, how nanea was out grabbing flowers for the table at breakfast and just looked up and saw planes and smoke. i think the details like the bullet-holes in their neighbors' kitchen and blackouts and the gas masks (!!!) mentioned so matter-of-factly really added to the atmosphere and helped show what it was like on oahu in 1941 and how different it was to be there vs in the continental US.
also, nanea's friend lily's dad being taken in by the FBI because he was of japanese heritage, her other friend donna and her mom being forced to leave the island because they were nonessential, painting the car headlights so her dad could drive at night during blackouts...i feel like the book covered some pretty heavy topics that i definitely don't remember learning about in school and i was impressed. i always liked how AG could take dark/heavy topics and make them palatable to young readers and nanea's book was no different. i'm excited to read the next one tbh!
oh, one more thing - the version i read was the full, unabridged version, and i have to say i was a little sad that there were no illustrations or portraits of nanea's family and friends like all the books from my childhood had! i heard in the new versions of the books they added them back in (and that some are photorealistic which just feels weird to me personally), but they're abridged and a lot of content is removed which i feel like is a weird move on AG's part. i get moving to a longer, 2-book "core collection" of stories instead of the shorter 6-book format, but keep all the content and bring back the illustrations! i want to see what everyone looks like, LOL!
anyway, i was pleasantly surprised by how much i enjoyed the book. it started off feeling a bit juvenile, as expected since i'm def not the target age group, but from the actual attack on pearl harbor onward, i felt really immersed in the story. i really appreciated the sudden shift in tone, how nanea was out grabbing flowers for the table at breakfast and just looked up and saw planes and smoke. i think the details like the bullet-holes in their neighbors' kitchen and blackouts and the gas masks (!!!) mentioned so matter-of-factly really added to the atmosphere and helped show what it was like on oahu in 1941 and how different it was to be there vs in the continental US.
also, nanea's friend lily's dad being taken in by the FBI because he was of japanese heritage, her other friend donna and her mom being forced to leave the island because they were nonessential, painting the car headlights so her dad could drive at night during blackouts...i feel like the book covered some pretty heavy topics that i definitely don't remember learning about in school and i was impressed. i always liked how AG could take dark/heavy topics and make them palatable to young readers and nanea's book was no different. i'm excited to read the next one tbh!
oh, one more thing - the version i read was the full, unabridged version, and i have to say i was a little sad that there were no illustrations or portraits of nanea's family and friends like all the books from my childhood had! i heard in the new versions of the books they added them back in (and that some are photorealistic which just feels weird to me personally), but they're abridged and a lot of content is removed which i feel like is a weird move on AG's part. i get moving to a longer, 2-book "core collection" of stories instead of the shorter 6-book format, but keep all the content and bring back the illustrations! i want to see what everyone looks like, LOL!
February 13, 2022
Nanea is a 9-year old girl who lives in Hawaii in 1941. Like many children she's impatient to grow up. Her chance comes in the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the aftermath, where everyone is expected to lend a helping hand.
I wasn't as impressed with this book as I've been with other American Girl books. I'm going to give this one the benefit of the doubt though, because I understand it's an abridged version of a much longer book. I AM sorely disappointed that they would abridge these stories, and put them together in this way, though I love seeing the pictures again which the books used to have, and the historical detail.
Nanea feels flat, and isn't always likable. Her concern for her dog feels more real than her concern for her friends, which I think was part of the problem. There's a lot of terrible things going on here, and we're so far removed from them they don't quite seem real. Maybe that was deliberate, given the age range of the typical American girl readers. Still, I was disappointed, because I definitely wanted more.
For now I'm going to refrain from judging too harshly and give this four stars until I can find the unabridged versions of this book. I look forward to seeing what the original stories are like.
I wasn't as impressed with this book as I've been with other American Girl books. I'm going to give this one the benefit of the doubt though, because I understand it's an abridged version of a much longer book. I AM sorely disappointed that they would abridge these stories, and put them together in this way, though I love seeing the pictures again which the books used to have, and the historical detail.
Nanea feels flat, and isn't always likable. Her concern for her dog feels more real than her concern for her friends, which I think was part of the problem. There's a lot of terrible things going on here, and we're so far removed from them they don't quite seem real. Maybe that was deliberate, given the age range of the typical American girl readers. Still, I was disappointed, because I definitely wanted more.
For now I'm going to refrain from judging too harshly and give this four stars until I can find the unabridged versions of this book. I look forward to seeing what the original stories are like.
October 14, 2025
(Review of this and Hula for the Homefront)
These books left a bad taste in my mouth. Pretty heavy-handed war propaganda, which is probably period-accurate, but still makes me feel icky. And they really held racism against the Japanese at arm’s length, particularly in the second book. I understand that they wanted to set these in Hawaii so they could do the whole “hometown was attacked” thing, and I know that the Japanese Americans in Hawaii weren’t incarcerated, but it feels like a cowardly approach to write a second American Girl series about WWII, include a single paragraph about internment, and not mention it at all in the nonfiction bit. Especially given that everything else in this book was about how everyone needs to support the war effort, even dogs. Like, can we have half an ounce of nuance? I’m confident the elementary schoolers can handle it.
Maybe I’m the problem. Maybe I need to stop wanting all these books to be as good as Addy’s. Maybe Connie Porter is the exception and the rest of these authors are just okay.
These books left a bad taste in my mouth. Pretty heavy-handed war propaganda, which is probably period-accurate, but still makes me feel icky. And they really held racism against the Japanese at arm’s length, particularly in the second book. I understand that they wanted to set these in Hawaii so they could do the whole “hometown was attacked” thing, and I know that the Japanese Americans in Hawaii weren’t incarcerated, but it feels like a cowardly approach to write a second American Girl series about WWII, include a single paragraph about internment, and not mention it at all in the nonfiction bit. Especially given that everything else in this book was about how everyone needs to support the war effort, even dogs. Like, can we have half an ounce of nuance? I’m confident the elementary schoolers can handle it.
Maybe I’m the problem. Maybe I need to stop wanting all these books to be as good as Addy’s. Maybe Connie Porter is the exception and the rest of these authors are just okay.
November 6, 2017
Fun book to read to my kids. They can't wait to hear the next one in the series.
December 10, 2018
I enjoyed this book introducing an American Girl from the WW2 years in Hawaii. Loved reading about the customs and people, even though I knew most of it. This book is a very good way to introduce children about WW2 in the Pacific Front and Hawaii before it became a state.
Coincidentally, I am reading it on the 77th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I believe this is the first year no survivors of the U.S.S. Arizona traveled to HI for the ceremonies. Sad stuff.
Coincidentally, I am reading it on the 77th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I believe this is the first year no survivors of the U.S.S. Arizona traveled to HI for the ceremonies. Sad stuff.
December 8, 2017
I honestly thought this was one of the better American Girl classic books, it was very realistic and it wasn't sugar coated.
This book takes place before and during the beginning of World War II. Nanea lives in Hawaii with her family and she loves it there. She feels as if everyone treats her as a baby when she wants to be considered an adult. She thinks everything in life is perfect until the bombing of Pearl Harbor and her life changes forever. All of the schools close and rationing starts, plus, Nanea loses her beloved dog.
As the book goes on, Nanea learns that life goes on no matter what, and she finally starts to act like an adult.
I am obviously above the age recommendation for this book but I fully enjoyed it. I would recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of history be it a boy or a girl, no matter the age. It is simply a very good book.
This book takes place before and during the beginning of World War II. Nanea lives in Hawaii with her family and she loves it there. She feels as if everyone treats her as a baby when she wants to be considered an adult. She thinks everything in life is perfect until the bombing of Pearl Harbor and her life changes forever. All of the schools close and rationing starts, plus, Nanea loses her beloved dog.
As the book goes on, Nanea learns that life goes on no matter what, and she finally starts to act like an adult.
I am obviously above the age recommendation for this book but I fully enjoyed it. I would recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of history be it a boy or a girl, no matter the age. It is simply a very good book.
April 17, 2020
I just finished reading this with my eight year old daughter who loves everything American Girl. It also went along with our current homeschool study of World War II. My daughter loved this book - begging regularly to read "just one more chapter." Like all the other American Girl books, this one was rich in the true culture of Hawaii, with a glossary at the back of Hawaiian words. By the end, my daughter could tell you that ohana meant family (and no, she's never seen Lilo and Stitch!), that puka means hole, and that aloha is much more than hello. We also learned what hula really is (it's not girls shaking their butts in coconut bras). Then, of course, is the riveting historical event of Pearl Harbor. I thought the book did a great job of conveying the tragedy of that day from a child's perspective and in a way that a child can understand. It never, in my opinion, veered into anything too graphic or terrifying. Though no one Nanea knows personally dies in the story, there are sad parts including a friend's father being arrested for being Japenese (he is eventually released), Nanea's dog Mele disappearing for an entire week (she finds him), and her friend Donna having to move to the mainland. So, it depends on the age and sensitivity of your child. Nanea also sees a Japanese plane flying overhead, hears a distant explosion, and sees black smoke in the distance. I think those are the only parts that might upset a child. My daughter is pretty sensitive, though, and the book was not overly upsetting for her. Overall, this book is a historically accurate and culturally accurate depiction of Pearl Harbor on the appropriate level for a child.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2023
This is my first foray into the Beforever line, and in comparison to the other AG series I have read, this longer book format feels lacking. I don't get the chance to witness Nanea grow over a longer period of time of have the opportunity to meet the characters and get to know them. For all of the plot tangents and storylines thrown into this book, the pacing feels slow. Also, I feel like a lot of the Hawaiian culture was left out, and instead we get a very safe view of the events going on in Hawaii. The racial conflict is minimal, and it all just feels lacking to me.
November 9, 2017
The historical fiction, heartwarming book Nanea Growing Up with Aloha by Kirby Larson shows that you can do well and help others in hard times. Nanea is a nine-year-old girl who lives on the island of Oahu in Hawaii through the attack of Pearl Harbor in 1941. In the beginning of the book Nanea is trying to convince her parents to not treat her like a little kid anymore. Nanea and her friends, Lily and Donna find an article in the newspaper about a contest to enter and must do a list of different types of nice things for other people. Nanea and her friends are called the three kittens. Nanea, Lily and, Donna have been friends for a long time. Lily is Nanea’s friend she had for a long time. Lily's family was like part of Nanea's family. Nanea's family and Lily’s family and has holidays together and ate meals together. Nanea's friend Donna moved to Oahu in Hawaii for California when Donna was sin first grade three years ago. Nanea had a normal life going to school and playing with her friends. Nanea likes school, likes to hula dance, and like helping people that need help. Nanea and her friends, Lily and Donna, do a dance show for their parents on Thanksgiving. Nanea was making breakfast and setting the table to surprise her family to show she was not a little kid anymore.
Then on December seventh, Nanea was cutting red and pink hibiscus flowers in the yard when suddenly she heard planes and saw planes flying low to the ground with the Japanese flag on them. After that her life changed a lot. Nanea’s father must build war ships to help the war effort and her brother, who is working in the hospital, also helps with the war effort. Her friend Lily’s family is Japanese, so the government took away Lily's father because they thought he was a different person that helped the attack. Nanea’s other friend Donna and her mother must leave the island because the is government says they are "not essential" to help the war effort. Nanea's dog Mele is missing and Nanea is really worried about her.
I liked the book because it is about a girl and her life in Hawaii in the 1940s because e id I like books about girls and I like American Girl books. I also like Hawaii and learning about Hawaii. I did not like that the book did not have a regular story plot with a beginning, middle, and end. It just explained how Nanea lived in Hawaii during the attack of Pearl Harbor in the 1940s. She lives by Pearl Harbor because her father works there. At the end of the book the story just stops, and you must read the second book to finish the story. My least favorite part of the book was having to hear about the attack of Pearl Harbor because I do not like reading about wars, violence, and it is scary to think about war. My favorite part was hearing about Nanea’s hula lessons with her grandma, Tutu because I like that the dance tells a story. Tutu teaches hula lessons to girls in Hawaii and they put I performances for the community.
This book has a lot of Hawaiian words in the book so there is a glossary in the back. You will have to go to the glossary a lot. Nanea’s name means in Hawaiian; "delightful pleasant”. This book was published on August 21, 2017. This book will make you sad about the war and happy about how Nanea is trying to help the war efforts. I would give this book 4 stars out of 5 stars because I like the characters, the story, and the setting in Hawaii. I would recommend this to girls who like learning about Hawaii and how girls living in the 1940s.
Then on December seventh, Nanea was cutting red and pink hibiscus flowers in the yard when suddenly she heard planes and saw planes flying low to the ground with the Japanese flag on them. After that her life changed a lot. Nanea’s father must build war ships to help the war effort and her brother, who is working in the hospital, also helps with the war effort. Her friend Lily’s family is Japanese, so the government took away Lily's father because they thought he was a different person that helped the attack. Nanea’s other friend Donna and her mother must leave the island because the is government says they are "not essential" to help the war effort. Nanea's dog Mele is missing and Nanea is really worried about her.
I liked the book because it is about a girl and her life in Hawaii in the 1940s because e id I like books about girls and I like American Girl books. I also like Hawaii and learning about Hawaii. I did not like that the book did not have a regular story plot with a beginning, middle, and end. It just explained how Nanea lived in Hawaii during the attack of Pearl Harbor in the 1940s. She lives by Pearl Harbor because her father works there. At the end of the book the story just stops, and you must read the second book to finish the story. My least favorite part of the book was having to hear about the attack of Pearl Harbor because I do not like reading about wars, violence, and it is scary to think about war. My favorite part was hearing about Nanea’s hula lessons with her grandma, Tutu because I like that the dance tells a story. Tutu teaches hula lessons to girls in Hawaii and they put I performances for the community.
This book has a lot of Hawaiian words in the book so there is a glossary in the back. You will have to go to the glossary a lot. Nanea’s name means in Hawaiian; "delightful pleasant”. This book was published on August 21, 2017. This book will make you sad about the war and happy about how Nanea is trying to help the war efforts. I would give this book 4 stars out of 5 stars because I like the characters, the story, and the setting in Hawaii. I would recommend this to girls who like learning about Hawaii and how girls living in the 1940s.
October 23, 2024
I am continuing reading the American Girl series alongside the Dolls of Our Lives podcast. Nanea's was the first book series that I read in American Girl's BeForever rebrand. Since Nanea was released in 2017, this was my first time reading her series. The rebrand was bizarre, condensing the traditional six-book series into two. The original BeForever books removed all illustrations, but after backlash, added illustrations, while unfortunately abridging the books. I found out that the versions I read from my library were abridged, so my review is of the abridged books.
Nanea Mitchell is a young girl growing up in Hawaii in 1941. The daughter of a white father from the mainland and a Native Hawaiian mother, Nanea spends her days playing with her dog, helping around the house, and dancing hula. Her life drastically changes when Japan bombs Pearl Harbor and O'ahu is placed under martial law. She must find creative ways to demonstrate patriotism and support the cause.
Wow, these books are strange. The narrative clearly suffers from cramming a six-book arc into two books. There are many plot points (a competition, a missing dog, blackouts, gas masks, hula performances, friend troubles, etc.), but there is no true story arc. I finished the series and was left feeling unsure of the point.
Apart from discussion of hula and a Hawaiian language glossary, I felt that the books missed a chance to better represent Native Hawaiian/indigenous culture. Nanea has one best friend of Japanese descent and one white friend, and talks about how Hawaii is a melting pot of cultures. The massive hole is that colonization was not mentioned once in this book. The history of the violent takeover of Hawaii, the undermining of the Hawaiian monarchy, and the American militarization of the islands is absent from this story. There is no reckoning with the tension between being Native Hawaiian and feeling pressured to support a war cause for a nation that has colonized you. While this whitewashing is to be expected in the 1980s, it is shocking that American Girl took this heavily sanitized approach in 2017.
Similarly, Nanea's family friend is arrested and detained because of his Japanese ancestry and this is barely a plot point. It is not explained why and the book shies away from the history of anti-Asian sentiment in the United States. There were so many opportunities where the author could have used Nanea and her community as an entry point into the complexity of American history, but instead backs away. Some might say I have too high of expectations for a children's book. But remember, Kirsten's friend dies from cholera, Addy quite literally emancipates herself from slavery, Samantha witnesses child labor, Felicity explores identity in terms of freedom from the British crown, etc. American Girl had always been masterful in taking hard and complex history and making it appropriate, but true for children. Nanea's books were such a missed opportunity.
The books weren't all bad. I liked being in Nanea's family and learning about the specific impact that the war had on these islands midway between the continental U.S. and Japan. There was humor and fun. But I wanted so much more.
Nanea Mitchell is a young girl growing up in Hawaii in 1941. The daughter of a white father from the mainland and a Native Hawaiian mother, Nanea spends her days playing with her dog, helping around the house, and dancing hula. Her life drastically changes when Japan bombs Pearl Harbor and O'ahu is placed under martial law. She must find creative ways to demonstrate patriotism and support the cause.
Wow, these books are strange. The narrative clearly suffers from cramming a six-book arc into two books. There are many plot points (a competition, a missing dog, blackouts, gas masks, hula performances, friend troubles, etc.), but there is no true story arc. I finished the series and was left feeling unsure of the point.
Apart from discussion of hula and a Hawaiian language glossary, I felt that the books missed a chance to better represent Native Hawaiian/indigenous culture. Nanea has one best friend of Japanese descent and one white friend, and talks about how Hawaii is a melting pot of cultures. The massive hole is that colonization was not mentioned once in this book. The history of the violent takeover of Hawaii, the undermining of the Hawaiian monarchy, and the American militarization of the islands is absent from this story. There is no reckoning with the tension between being Native Hawaiian and feeling pressured to support a war cause for a nation that has colonized you. While this whitewashing is to be expected in the 1980s, it is shocking that American Girl took this heavily sanitized approach in 2017.
Similarly, Nanea's family friend is arrested and detained because of his Japanese ancestry and this is barely a plot point. It is not explained why and the book shies away from the history of anti-Asian sentiment in the United States. There were so many opportunities where the author could have used Nanea and her community as an entry point into the complexity of American history, but instead backs away. Some might say I have too high of expectations for a children's book. But remember, Kirsten's friend dies from cholera, Addy quite literally emancipates herself from slavery, Samantha witnesses child labor, Felicity explores identity in terms of freedom from the British crown, etc. American Girl had always been masterful in taking hard and complex history and making it appropriate, but true for children. Nanea's books were such a missed opportunity.
The books weren't all bad. I liked being in Nanea's family and learning about the specific impact that the war had on these islands midway between the continental U.S. and Japan. There was humor and fun. But I wanted so much more.
February 23, 2022
This is another good book to introduce children not only to a different time period, but a different culture and way of life. It still makes it all feel relateable and the characters are good. I especially loved the female friendship that Nanea had with Lily and Donna. It was very sweet how the girls all supported each other and struggled to stay together after the events of Pearl Harbor.
This book does a great job of showing the fear and uncertainty, as well as how war can make someone young grow up very quickly. I liked that it didn't shy away from the uglier side of this particular war: how the Japanese were taken away from their homes without notice simply because they looked like the enemy, or now the "non-essential" civilians were forced to leave their homes. And this may be my cynical adult mind, but I liked that the ending wasn't completely happy. Nanea still loses her friend Donna even after all the hard work she puts into making her look "essential".
I would've liked even more emphasis on specific Hawaiian traditions, but I think the book was trying to stay true to how diverse the population of Hawaii is. In the back of the book, it has a little explanation of the time period and it shows a picture of people holding up signs showing where they came from. I also like that sometimes it allowed the context to explain things rather than the text. The characters don't feel quite as fleshed-out as in the Courtney book I just read, but I think that's because they're absent a lot to help in the war effort.
Overall, it was a good book that taught some history and culture. Two things American Girl has always been good at.
This book does a great job of showing the fear and uncertainty, as well as how war can make someone young grow up very quickly. I liked that it didn't shy away from the uglier side of this particular war: how the Japanese were taken away from their homes without notice simply because they looked like the enemy, or now the "non-essential" civilians were forced to leave their homes. And this may be my cynical adult mind, but I liked that the ending wasn't completely happy. Nanea still loses her friend Donna even after all the hard work she puts into making her look "essential".
I would've liked even more emphasis on specific Hawaiian traditions, but I think the book was trying to stay true to how diverse the population of Hawaii is. In the back of the book, it has a little explanation of the time period and it shows a picture of people holding up signs showing where they came from. I also like that sometimes it allowed the context to explain things rather than the text. The characters don't feel quite as fleshed-out as in the Courtney book I just read, but I think that's because they're absent a lot to help in the war effort.
Overall, it was a good book that taught some history and culture. Two things American Girl has always been good at.
May 24, 2020
This book was incredibly well made, so much thought went into creating Nanea’s story. It was emotional, beautiful, empowering and filled with so much Aloha spirit.
When Nanea thought her only problem in her life was trying to prove she was a grown up her whole life ends up getting turned around and she grows up quicker than she thought she would. As Pearl Harbour gets attacked by the Japanese her whole island is shaken, changed and life isn’t so simple anymore.
Nanea was an incredibly strong and brave young girl who was going through a horrible disaster, she has to find all her courage inside herself to help everyone around her as much as she can. She overcomes many difficulties during this time but remains strong and desperate to show everyone her Aloha.
The story made me cry on one chapter, I honestly didn’t see it coming until it was right there and I felt transported into it as though I was right there. It was hard and it was sad and scary. The way each event was described was incredible, each thing Nanea or her family and friends did to help, each part of the story that you are hoping will turn out okay in the end leaving you on edge until you get the answers.
I really enjoyed reading this book it was a very harrowing story, but it was also filled with so much love and heart. It was really well written and thought out, it showcased so much of the history, including a fun history facts section at the end. It’s an great read and I highly recommend it.
When Nanea thought her only problem in her life was trying to prove she was a grown up her whole life ends up getting turned around and she grows up quicker than she thought she would. As Pearl Harbour gets attacked by the Japanese her whole island is shaken, changed and life isn’t so simple anymore.
Nanea was an incredibly strong and brave young girl who was going through a horrible disaster, she has to find all her courage inside herself to help everyone around her as much as she can. She overcomes many difficulties during this time but remains strong and desperate to show everyone her Aloha.
The story made me cry on one chapter, I honestly didn’t see it coming until it was right there and I felt transported into it as though I was right there. It was hard and it was sad and scary. The way each event was described was incredible, each thing Nanea or her family and friends did to help, each part of the story that you are hoping will turn out okay in the end leaving you on edge until you get the answers.
I really enjoyed reading this book it was a very harrowing story, but it was also filled with so much love and heart. It was really well written and thought out, it showcased so much of the history, including a fun history facts section at the end. It’s an great read and I highly recommend it.
November 9, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The research on the time period and cultural setting was very detailed and culturally sensitive. The characters were rich and left you wanting to know more and follow them farther to the next books in the series. I could relate to Nanea and also feel she is a wonderful role model to young people and old alike. She wants to help in whatever way she can during the Pearl Harbor attacks and aftermath. She is on the brink of being older and more responsible but still feels she is treated like a baby. She sets out to prove that she is more responsible and a necessary person in her community by innovating several ideas that are mature and wise for a child that age. The grief the people and children of the community feel after the Pearl Harbor attacks change their way of life is portrayed in this volume in a realistic way. It is touching, funny, smart and will tug at your heartstrings to shed a few tears. I am part way through the next book already because Nanea is now one of my favorite, if not my favorite of the historical American Girl characters. Great read for kids, young adults or adults. Read with your child and understand the history of Pearl Harbor and learn the culture of Hawaiians in the 40's.
November 20, 2018
This U.S. historical fiction book is part of the American Girl series, which is intended for intermediate level readers. This is the story of a nine-year-old living in Oahu in 1941 who simply wants to be treated like a grown up, but she soon realizes the harsh reality of being a grown up when the bombing of Pearl Harbor is simply a few miles from her. Readers will learn a lot about the Hawaiian culture, and how the bombing of Pearl Harbor affected all different types of people in Hawaii. Though Nanea’s family ended up all being safe from the bombing and its consequences afterwards, the book didn’t sugar-coat history as Nanea’s best friend is forced to leave the island since she is nonessential. At the end of the book, you get a little more information on Hawaii, World War II, and a glossary of the Hawaiian words used.
"Home had always been the safest place in the world. But within a few short hours, everything in Nanea's life had been turned upside down. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying only to see the beautiful things: palm trees, sandy beaches, fat white clouds. But all the mages were edged in black." p. 59
"Home had always been the safest place in the world. But within a few short hours, everything in Nanea's life had been turned upside down. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying only to see the beautiful things: palm trees, sandy beaches, fat white clouds. But all the mages were edged in black." p. 59
September 2, 2017
Great book for younger readers. It taught me things about Hawaii in 1941 that I didn't know, either! Most importantly, it got to the heart of how hard war is on all of us. I imagine this being a bit of a difficult read, emotionally, for 9 and 10 year olds. And, as with all AG historical books, it made life in the past feel relevant to the experiences of girls today. I can see this book being a great conversation starter for tough topics like xenophobia. It could also open doors into discussing America's appropriation of the Hawaiian islands, and its imperialist attitude in other nations, too. At the same time, it celebrates the way all Hawaiians--and all Americans--help one another in times of crisis, and the beauty of the human spirit. Not as strong as some of the other AG books in terms of characterization, and there were a few plot points I felt were a little blurry, but definitely recommended.
December 23, 2017
Nanea loves hula, school, her dog Mele and going fishing with her Papa. She also wants to be treated like a grown up and work in her grandparent's grocery store. However, Nanea's life turns upside down when the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. Nanea's school ca3tches fire, new laws are enforced, her dog Mele goes missing and her best friend may have to move. Nanea soon realizes that It's not all about her anymore and puts her own desires aside to help her community.
This book does a really good job of showing just how much war can change a country or community. The story is sad but shows how people can pull together in times of sadness and chaos. It also teaches valuable lessons about helping others. I enjoyed learning about 1940s Hawaii
This book does a really good job of showing just how much war can change a country or community. The story is sad but shows how people can pull together in times of sadness and chaos. It also teaches valuable lessons about helping others. I enjoyed learning about 1940s Hawaii
March 12, 2025
The beginning was a little rough and I can’t help but think if a native Hawaiian had written this instead it might have been a little different. A lot of Hawaiian word drops - but it seemed kind of forced. There were also tropes that seemed very familiar to storylines from other AG books. I think I was let down by this one because I had really high expectations for it. I did enjoy learning how things on the island changed after the attack - small things like how to paint your headlights and the need for bottles for blood donations. They kind of tackled the Japanese interment camps… kind of. Wish they went a little more into it. Maybe the next volume will focus on the racism that occurred during the war.
March 9, 2023
I think the story would have been stronger if it had followed the format of earlier American girl historical characters and broke the story into 3 separate books rather than cramming everything into one volume. I also missed illustrations of the characters and photos at the back in the Peek into the Past. The Be Forever series seems to be geared toward older youth readers who have moved away from illustrated fiction. I did enjoy learning about the multicultural world Nanea lives in but I think the story lacked specificity into the colonial status of Hawaii at the time; would Nanea have seen herself as American?
May 12, 2023
This was definitely a good MG historical fiction I really liked it, it's getting 4 1/2 stars from me. I really thought that it had a good description of the Pearl Harbor attack and the very unfair things that happened to the Japanese after the attack.
However, in a way, it kinda made the army of the US seem kinda cruel. The army is there to protect it's country. However that doesn't mean that I think what we did to the Japanese was right, I think it could've been dealt with in a better way, but that doesn't mean that the army is there to just control people.
However, in a way, it kinda made the army of the US seem kinda cruel. The army is there to protect it's country. However that doesn't mean that I think what we did to the Japanese was right, I think it could've been dealt with in a better way, but that doesn't mean that the army is there to just control people.
July 12, 2022
I read a lot of these American Girl books with my daughter, and this might be my favorite one I've read. Nanea is such a relatable girl. She's in a hurry with the idea of growing up, but she soon realizes how difficult it is to put childish things aside when she really has to. She's such a sweet and caring girl, but not to the extent that she is unrealistic. The handling of Pearl Harbor and all its after-effects on the Hawaiian population was very good and very eye-opening.
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