Kōlea and the Chief's Cloak

Download the Kōlea and the Chief's Cloak Activity Sheet Here A modern fable that tells the story of an ancient Hawaiian ʻahuʻula—a feather cloak—and how it came to be in the Bishop Museum today in Honolulu. The clever wisdom of the beloved Kōlea, the Pacific Golden Plover, is lost on an arrogant young chief who possesses the spectacular cloak but loses his kingdom—and the ʻahuʻula—to his powerful warrior cousin. That cousin goes on to unite the Hawaiian Islands and becomes one of Hawai'i’s greatest rulers. This picture book, with its full-color illustrations, holds a moral for all ages: ‘Beauty is most meaningful when it is earned through dedication, humility, and perseverance.’ Author Alice Guild led a volunteer career of over 50-years with the restoration, preservation, and operation of ‘Iolani Palace. This developed her interest in stories associated with artifacts housed in Hawai‘i’s museums. Her fables are spun around actual objects in these collections. Kōlea and the Chief’s Cloak won the Hawai‘i Book Publishers’ Association 2019 Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature. Illustrators Georg James and John Dinsmore are creative partners. Georg and John were set designers on the East Coast and in Hollywood where they were known for their large murals and trompe l’oeil painted furniture. This was their first venture into book illustration. hardcover | 36 pages | 9.25" x 11.25" | color