The Māui Stories

A collection of three Hawaiian legends written in English and Hawaiian: Māui Hooks the Islands, Māui Slows the Sun, and Hina for kindergarten through second grade. These stories, written by elementary school librarian, Gabby Ahuli‘i, introduce young kids to the demigod Māui and his mother, Hina.

Māui Hooks the Islands introduces kids to Māui the demigod who fished up the Hawaiian islands using a magic fishing hook.

Māui Slows the Sun tells the story of how Māui was able to extend the length of daylight in the islands.

The sun has been racing across the sky, preventing people from finishing their daily chores. Māui decides to confront the sun and races up Haleakalā to greet him as he rises.

Using his olonā rope, Māui lassoes one of the sun’s rays, holds him tight, and convinces him to slow his travels across the sky so Maui’s mother may have time to dry her kapa and people can enjoy the daylight longer. The sun compromises and says he will slow his pace for half the year (summer) yet speed up the other half (winter).

Hina introduces kids to Māui’s mother, the goddess of the moon.

In simple, poetic language, these origin stories give small kids a taste of Hawai‘i’s rich history of storytelling.