AMERICAN GIRL BOOKS . . .

ALOHA, KANANI . . .

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Ten-year-old Kanani loves living in beautiful Hawai‘i —and she especially loves sharing the wonders of her island home with visitors. So when her cousin Rachel from New York comes to stay for a month, Kanani is excited to get to know her. But no matter what she does to help Rachel feel at home, it only seems to make her unhappy instead. Can Kanani find a way to connect with her cousin?

GOOD JOB, KANANI . . .

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Kanani is excited about selling shave ice to raise money for a cause she cares about. But she also cares about her best friend, Celina—and she promised they would take surfing lessons together. When Kanani can’t make time for Celina, their friendship begins to unravel, and she finds herself spending summer days alone. Will Kanani find a way to make things right?
Want to read more about Kanai? Just CLICK HERE to find out what happens when she visits her cousin in New York!

To write the Kanani stories, Lisa went to Hawaii to research . . .

Sometimes writing is hard, other times it's a blast! In order to write Kanani's stories, Lisa learned how to surf, snorkel and paddle board. Also, since Kanani's family owns "Akina Shave Ice and Sweet Treats," Lisa ate lots of shave ice -- for research, of course. Plus, she met with Hawaiian monk seal volunteers to learn more about this endangered species.

Lisa also wrote an American Girl historical novel - set in the 1970s!

GOOD LUCK, IVY . . .

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As the middle child in a busy Chinese American household, Ivy feels invisible. Her mother has gone back to school to become a lawyer, and her father has two jobs to keep the family afloat. And if that's not enough, Ivy's best friend Julie has moved to another part of San Francisco. The only place Ivy feels at home is at gymnastics. But when she learns that the big gymnastics tournament is scheduled for the same day as the annual Ling family reunion, Ivy wrestles with a difficult choice. Gradually, with her brother Andrew's help, Ivy realizes that she can take charge of her life—and make her own luck. 


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