Josefina. 1824.
Meet Nanea Mitchell!
Growing up in 1941, cheerful and generous Nanea Mitchell loves hula, her family, and her island home in Hawai‘i. After Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, Nanea steps up to help her community, proving that courage and kindness matter.
Papa & Mama
Nanea’s father is a welder and shares her love of fishing. After the attack, he’s gone for days helping at the Pearl Harbor shipyard. Her mother organizes first aid classes and urges Nanea to mend troubled friendships.
David
Nanea’s seventeen-year-old brother is a Boy Scout, bellboy, and ukulele player. When war breaks out, he joins an engineer corps and later enlists in the Army. Brave and protective, he inspires Nanea to do her part for the war effort.
Mary Lou
Nanea’s fifteen-year-old sister who loves hula and volunteers at the evacuation center. Though she claims Nanea is spoiled because she’s “the baby,” she encourages Nanea’s hula and surprises her with a birthday treasure hunt.
Tutu & Kane
Nanea’s maternal grandparents and owners of Pono’s Market. Her grandmother, a kumu hula (master teacher), teaches Nanea hula, while her grandfather plays the ukulele and shares stories about growing up on O‘ahu.
Lily
When Lily’s father is arrested, Nanea shares Lily’s fear and stands by her side. Though a misunderstanding strains their friendship, they reconcile and unite to support the Red Cross.
Donna
A bubblegum-loving, loyal friend who helps Nanea search for Mele and joins her bottle drive. Before leaving O‘ahu, she tosses her lei into the ocean, and its return to shore promises she’ll come back.
Aunt Betty and Uncle Fudge
Lily’s parents, who are from Japan. Uncle Fudge, a fisherman, is arrested as a suspected spy. While he’s detained, Aunt Betty stays strong, keeping her children calm and hopeful until his release.
Gene
Lily’s loyal seventeen-year-old brother. He tries to enlist but is turned away because he’s Japanese. Undeterred, he forms a volunteer group to support the war effort.
Tommy
Lily’s five-year-old brother is a handful—full of energy and determined to fight for his father. When he’s not dreaming of heroics, he loves knocking down blocks and riding piggyback.
Dixie
The new girl at Lunalilo Elementary. Nanea is jealous of the attention Dixie gets from their teacher but after learning Dixie’s story, she opens her heart, and they work together.
Auntie Rose
Nanea’s next-door neighbor, known for her beautiful leis and delicious malasadas. She shares stories of growing up on O‘ahu, teaching Nanea that “talking stories” keeps their history alive.
Mrs. Lin
Nanea’s friendly neighbor with a thriving garden and a love for chatting. She runs a shop selling crack seed (dried fruit) and offers Uncle Fudge a job after the government seizes his fishing boat.
Author Kirby Larson
Kirby Larson is the author of several novels, including the Newbery Honor book Hattie Big Sky, and Dash, winner of the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. With her friend Mary Nethery, she has written two award-winning picture books. She lives in Kenmore, Washington, with her husband and Winston the wonder dog. In her free time, she hunts for beach glass and tidbits from history that she can turn into stories for young readers. Visit Kirby at www.kirbylarson.com.
Nanea’s full name is Alice Nanea Mitchell. Nanea, pronounced nah-NAY-ah, means “delightful and pleasant.” Her brother calls her Monkey, while Papa affectionately calls her Sunshine.
Papa nicknames Nanea and her friends Lily and Donna the Three Kittens after a popular nursery rhyme.
Christmas breakfast at the Mitchell house always includes coconut pancakes, fresh papaya, and Portuguese sausage.
Nanea loves strawberry shave ice, a Hawaiian treat made of ice soaked in fruity syrup. Her favorite part is how it turns her tongue “barber-pole” red.
Nanea and her grandmother Tūtū share a traditional greeting of pressing their foreheads and noses together for a deep breath. The “ha” in aloha means breath and “alo” means to share, symbolizing their connection.
One of Nanea’s hula outfits includes pū‘ili—bamboo sticks used to create rhythmic beats—and matching pineapple-print skirts for her and Mele.
On December 7, 1941, the surprise Japanese attack on the U.S naval base at Pearl Harbor pushed the United States into World War Two.
In the aftermath of the attack, grocery stores and restaurants closed, leaving aid workers without food. Families like Nanea’s pitched in, making sandwiches and sharing supplies to support the community.
The Aloha Tower at Honolulu Harbor was painted camouflage and its clock was blacked out to prevent enemy aircraft from using it as a landmark.
Red Cross bottle drives provided glass for medical supplies and blood donations. In her story, Nanea and her friends play a role in supporting soldiers and civilians.
In the event of another attack, civilians were urged to pack evacuation kits with essentials like food, water, a flashlight, clothing, and personal items.
The military’s Dogs for Defense program recruited family pets as guard dogs, messengers, and search-and-rescue helpers. Civilians loaned thousands of dogs to support the war effort at home and abroad.
