Moki and the Magic Surfboard: A Hawaiian Fantasy

by Bruce Hale

On a magic surfboard, Moki the Gecko flies, journeys underwater and travels through time. In the end, he must choose between magic and friendship.

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1996

About the author

A serious book addict, Bruce wanted to be a children's book author since he was in 4th grade (right after he got over wanting to be a pirate, Tarzan, and Daniel Boone). Today he's the author-illustrator of over 70 seriously funny books for kids, so some dreams do come true.

The Malted Falcon, one of his Chet Gecko Mysteries series, was an Edgar Award finalist, and Murder, My Tweet won a Little D Award for Juvenile Humor Writing. Bruce has written everything from picture books and easy readers, to graphic novels and novels.

Bruce's recent Monstertown Mysteries series blends horror and humor, based on his childhood love of monster movies. His other series include Class Pets, about the secret lives of classroom pets, and the forthcoming Outerspace Mystery Pizza Club books, due in 2024.

A Fulbright Scholar (in Storytelling), Bruce is also a popular speaker, both in the U.S. and internationally. He lives in Santa Barbara with his wife and knuckleheaded dog Riley. When he's not writing or reading, you may find him hiking, kickboxing, or singing with a latin-jazz band called Mezcal Martini.

Reviews

[Dolly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a cute story about Moki, one of a series of books about the curious and adventurous gecko. It was an okay story, and introduced the topic of the menehune race, who are mythical small men in the Hawaiian culture and are known for their magic and mischief. But it got off the plot, with time travel and other goofy additions. Our girls like Moki, but this is not Mr. Hale's best story.