Fire and Water

Fire and Water is the first written collection of stories based on Hawaiian legends told on Maui. It is a classic Hawaiian children's book.

The setting for this delightful collection of stories is the volcanoes and mountains, the blue seas, white sands, and clear skies of Maui Island in Hawaii—a place as rich in legends and myths as any in the world.

Fire and Water is the first written collection of stories based on legends told on Maui. They have been retold in a style that will appeal to young and old readers alike. Though writing primarily for children, Barbara Lyons has conveyed the conflicts, emotions, and personalities of the characters whose stories have been told and retold by generations of Hawaiians.

Readers will meet princesses and shark–men, dragons and owl–gods, as well as ordinary boys and girls in the midst of amazing adventures. In some of the stories, they will learn how Maui traditions began and how any Hawaiian places got their names.

The striking illustrations by Maui artist Betty Rice add a new dimension to each story . A pronunciation guide and glossary of Hawaiian words enables the reader to take one step further inside this enchanted world.