Bess Press Publishes Second in a Series of Picture Books About Hawaiian Goddesses

The second in a series of children's picture books about Hawaiian goddesses, Hina and the Sea of Stars combines elements of several legends about Hina, considered to be a primary ancestor of the Hawaiian people. Hina is often associated with the moon and its cycles, and therefore with fishing, planting, and fertility.

Michael Nordenstrom , who adapted and illustrated the legend, uses paint-and-paper collage to depict Hina's movement from sea to land to sky. His rich, brightly colored three-dimensional shapes and striking images offer breathtaking scenes on each two-page spread.

Michael Nordenstrom is Associate Librarian and Volunteer Coordinator at the Salt Lake City Public Library. His love for art and anthropology and his belief in preserving legends inspired Hina and the Sea of Stars and his previous book, Pele and the Rivers of Fire ( Bess Press , 2002), which won a Hawai‘i Publishers Association Pa‘i award for illustration and was a finalist for the Utah Children's Book Award. Visit his Web site to learn more: www.RiversofFire.com

Review copies are available from Bess Press: info@besspress.com , (808) 734-7159, ext. 21.

ISBN: 1-57306-167-0, 32 pgs., $9.95