Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me

American Indian Library Association's winner for best Young Adult book for 2010

Read what librarians have to say about Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me and other 2010 AILA award winners.

Listen to the author read an excerpt of the story at teachingbooks.net.

Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me

Moana Kawelo, PhD, has a promising career as a museum curator in Los Angeles. The untimely death of her father – and the gravitational pull of Hawai‘i when she returns home for his funeral – causes Moana to question her motivations and her glamorous life in California. Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me is the story of Moana’s struggle to understand her ancestral responsibilities, mend relationships, and find her identity as a Hawaiian in today’s world.

“This mo‘olelo is about the dilemmas we face in making choices that ultimately assure our survival. What happens next depends on how we navigate the dreams, thoughts, and acts of integrity set into place by those who came before.”

–Nainoa Thompson, navigator

“An intriguing story of modern Hawai‘i, its legacies and therefore its concerns – particularly those faced by its first nations people. It is a story contextualized by the connectedness between generations, land, culture and spiritual guardianship – all drawn together in a ‘now’ time.”

–Patricia Grace, Maori author

“A riveting and provocative look at the gifts we pass on, or fail to pass on, and the ramifications of these untidy choices. This story is a gift.”

–Rodney Morales, Hawai‘i author

About the Author

Lurline Wailana McGregor grew up in Honolulu, Hawai‘i in the 1950s and 1960s in a community that reflected her own multicultural background. Her career and accomplishments have been wide ranging, including serving as staff to U.S. Senator Dan Inouye in Washington, DC on the Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs, heading up a national public broadcasting consortium for indigenous Pacific Islanders and producing several award-winning documentary films. Most of the trophies on her shelf, though, are for canoe paddling. Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me is her first novel.

Check out the interview with Lurline Wailana McGregor.