Dance for the Land

In McLaren's (Inside the Walls of Troy) novel set in Hawaii, political issues overshadow the protagonist's journey to self-discovery. When Kate's father decides that the family should move to his native Hawaii, Kate must leave California, a chance at the lead in The Nutcracker ballet, her friends, her dog and the beautiful house designed by her mother, who died several years ago. Arriving in Honolulu, the 12-year-old girl feels uncomfortable around her father's relatives, reticent Aunt Alohi and foul-tempered Uncle Kimo, and confused by their ""Pidgin"" language. Kate's brother, who inherited their father's Hawaiian features, seems to belong here, but Kate has her mother's blonde hair and freckled face, and her classmates consequently ostracize her, calling her ""haole"" (white), a label given to the enemy of Hawaiian sovereignty. McLaren does a commendable job of presenting and explaining Hawaiian politics via the discourse between Uncle Kimo, who fights for a completely sovereign state, and Kate's lawyer father, who finds a more reasonable model in the Lakota nation with rights within the state of Montana. But these explanations often strain credibility and interrupt the flow of the novel (e.g., when Kate refers to ""Hawaiians,"" her Uncle Kimo ""explode[s],... `we kanaka maoli!' ""; her father then says to Kate, ""It means `The real people....' But the term `Hawaiian' is also acceptable""). As Kate learns about her heritage and her family's struggles, she gains appreciation for the Islands and its people. She joins a hula dance troupe and finds a way to express her tie to her father's homeland. Like the titular metaphor, the politics are often trumpeted, rather than woven into the narrative; ultimately, the banter between the two brothers upstages the changes in Kate. Ages 10-14. (Apr.)