Content levels
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Synopsis
"Rachel Kalama, a spirited seven-year-old Hawaiian girl, dreams of visiting far-off lands like her father, a merchant seaman. Then one day a rose-colored mark appears on her skin, and those dreams are stolen from her. Taken from her home and family, Rachel is sent to Kalaupapa, the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Molokaʻi. Here her life is supposed to end - but instead she discovers it is only just beginning"--Publisher's description.
Is Moloka'i appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 16 and up.
This historical novel depicts a young girl's life in a 19th-century Hawaiian leprosy colony, dealing with disease, isolation, death, and loss. Mature themes of illness, separation from family, and discrimination require emotional maturity.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, mild sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include captivity, death, and grief (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens will connect with Rachel's journey from childhood dreams to finding strength and community in the face of devastating circumstances.