The Kingdom of Oceana by Mitchell Charles is a young adult novel that takes place on Hawaii five centuries ago. It chronicles Prince Ailani and his brother Nahoa, who must figure out how to restore peace in the Kingdom of Oceana after unintentionally unleashing a curse. I liked seeing the characters’ bravery and perseverance; when things get difficult, they look for solutions instead of running away.

I was initially attracted to this book because of its Hawaiian theme. The author weaves Hawaiian terms into the story, and helpfully defines them with footnotes. The book’s exotic setting – added to its fantasy and adventure elements – make it an exciting story. It’s a fun book.

You can find The Kingdom of Oceana here.