The 2014 Ka Palapala Poʻokela Awards gala is fast approaching (Thursday, April 24), and to generate excitement for the event as well as educate the public on the nominees, we continue our tradition of doing a countdown of posts, highlighting the books nominated for each awards category. Where applicable, I will link to book reviews from Hawaiʻi Book Blog.

For a complete list of all the nominees we’ve posted and for all the updated information on the event, please visit our dedicated Ka Palapala Poʻokela Awards page.

The first category we are spotlighting is Excellence in Children’s Literature. Last year’s winners in this category include A Coconut Named Bob.

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Books for children, including fiction and nonfiction.

Aʻama Nui – Guardian Warrior Chief of Lalakea
WCIT Architecture
Moʻo Studio, 2013
55 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0986058806
$19.95

Blue Penguin and the Sensational Surf
Eileen Wacker
Once Kids LLC, 2013
40 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1938806049
$10.99

Geckos Slide and Peek: A Look-and-Find Adventure in Hawaii
Jon J. Murakami
BeachHouse Publishing, 2013
24 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1933067599
$13.95

Kamehameha: The Rise of a King
David Kāwika Eyre
Kamehameha Publishing, 2013
224 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 978-0873363204
$12.00

Keala Up a Tree
Patricia MacLean (author), Holly Braffet (illus.)
BeachHouse Publishing, 2013
36 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1933067582
$13.95

Koholā: King of the Whales
Vince Daubenspeck (author), Don Robinson (illus.)
Island Heritage Publishing, 2013
32 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1617101953
$14.95

Malia in Hawaiʻi – Celebrating all the Parts of Me!
Karyn Hopper (author), Tammy Yee (illus.)
Mutual Publihsing, 2013
32 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1939487193
$12.95
HBB Review

Rainbow Panda and the Firecracker Fiasco
Eileen Wacker
Once Kids LLC, 2013
40 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1467517492
$10.99

The Twelve Days of Hula: A Counting Book from Hawaiʻi
Beth Greenway (author), Kristi Petosa-Sigel (illus.)
BeachHouse Publishing, 2013
28 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1933067568
$12.95

Up in the Hawaiian Sky
Lavonne Leong (author), Jing Jing Tsong (illus.)
BeachHouse Publishing, 2013
18 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1933067551
$7.95
HBB Review

*Not listed: Menehune Tales of Hawaiʻi

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A nice selection of children’s books here.  Which one of these keiki books is your favorite; or your children’s favorite?  Let us know, we’d love to hear your comments!