Aloha For Carol Ann

Written By Margo Sorenson

Illustrated By Priscilla Garcia Burris

Beautiful palm trees, pretty flowers and a warm breeze are all waiting to welcome 8-year-old Carol Ann to her new school in Hawaii. But Carol Ann doesn t want a new school. She doesn t want new friends, or palm trees or a warm breeze. She wants her old friends. She wants her old home. She wants things the way they used to be. How will she remember her new classmates names? Who will she play with at recess? How will she ever feel at home in this new place? Then the teacher introduces Carol Ann to the term, aloha. She says the little word means hello, welcome and a lot more. Carol Ann finds out for just how much aloha means as she makes a place for herself at her new school.

Reading Level: Ages 4-8; Paperback: 32 Pages

Reviews

In this story of starting at a new school and making friends, not even a beautiful Hawaiian setting can conquer Carol Ann's unhappiness about her current situation: "She didn't want fluffy, pink flowers. Yuck! She didn't want warm trade winds. Nuh-Uh!" But with the support of her new teacher and her unfailingly friendly classmates, Carol Ann is soon saying "Aloha" with the rest of them. Though Carol Ann's transition is a bit too smooth, the book should prove reassuring to children in similar situations--even those in far less exciting locales. Burris's cheery cartoons, if somewhat generic, fit both the setting and the message. Publishers Weekly

Published by Marimba Books