Teen author of ‘The Hanapēpē Hero’ touring Kaua‘i; meet her at Friday, Saturday events

Kaua‘i families still have two chances to meet Los Angeles author Sasha Lee, as the teenage writer completes an on-island tour in support of her children’s book “The Hanapēpē Hero.”

The 25-page hardback – aimed at children in kindergarten through second grade – was made available for sale on the Garden Isle earlier this year. The book is inspired by Lee’s late grandfather Ron Kinoshita, who loved to spin yarns about Kaua‘i during his plantation-era childhood.

“I grew up listening to stories about my grandfather’s parents working on the sugarcane and the pineapple plantations, and their role in agriculture,” Lee said in mid-January. “He just loved it there.”

Now Lee, a 17-year-old high school senior preparing for college, is ready to present her work to Kaua‘i in person.

“It’s really exciting to start sharing with the community,” Lee said over a cup of coffee in Hanapēpē last Friday.

“The Hanapēpē Hero” follows a young boy modeled after Kinoshita as he walks across the Garden Isle in search of a birthday present for his mother. The book, according to Lee, is “about the idea that if you’re thoughtful, care about your community and have intentionality, you can become a hero in your community.”

Lee delivered readings of “The Hanapēpē Hero” at Hanapēpē Public Library and ‘Ele‘ele Elementary School on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. But she has two more public appearances to go.

Lee will be at Talk Story Bookstore in Hanapēpē from 5 to 8 p.m. during Friday Art Night on April 5, and at the Kukui Grove Center shopping mall in Līhu‘e from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on April 6, during the Kaua‘i Japanese Cultural Society’s annual Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day) community event.

Talk Story owner-operator Ed Justus is thrilled to host Lee in front of his bookstore.

“‘The Hanapēpē Hero’ is one of our top-selling children’s books so far this year,” he said. “It flies off the shelf as soon as it arrives, and understandably so: It has eye-catching illustrations, a heart-warming story and features old town Hanapēpē.”

Lee hopes local families with young children attend her public readings.

“I don’t live here all year; I don’t consider myself kamaʻāina,” she said. “But I think my family is and I think growing up here and coming every summer to visit my family has given me a unique perspective of both the outside world and Hawai‘i, and what the outside world sees of Hawai‘i.

“It was really important for me to create a book that wasn’t just a garish tourist souvenir or something that didn’t really reflect the world that I saw,” Lee continued. “It’s important, I think, that kids in Hawai‘i see Hawai‘i represented in books as they see it in their everyday lives.”

Copies of “The Hanapēpē Hero” will be available for purchase at both the Friday Art Night and Kodomo no Hi events. All net proceeds generated through sales of the book are donated to Hawai‘i organizations dedicated to education and literacy.

Lee is also spotlighting real-life heroes through an ongoing series of interviews featuring Kaua‘i businesses, nonprofit organizations and social initiatives working to uplift their communities.

The interviews are available to read under the “Community Spotlights” tab on thehanapepehero.com, which also includes a “Keiki Corner” with printable activities.

“The Hanapēpē Hero” is available for sale at several Los Angeles booksellers, as well as Talk Story Bookstore and online at barnesandnoble.com and thehanapepehero.com.