Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers: A Novel

Sweet coming of age tale of a third generation Japanese Hawaiian girl growing up in the 1970's. Lovey's father who grew up on the plantation is always scheming to make money - from rabbits to collecting feathers for leis - and Lovey thinks she wants nothing more than to have a nice white picket fence, nothing second hand and have a haole name. When her dad is injured in a hunting accident, Lovey finally understands the messages her dad has been quietly teaching her - about being proud of where you come from and sacrifice for those you love. Told through a series of vignettes and with a fantastic ear of pigin, I'll be looking out the car window at the corrugated roofs a little differently after reading this book.

Personal Response:

More a collection of loose vignettes than a novel, the different styles are sometimes lyrical and sometimes realistic. Lovey’s attempts to establish an identity apart from herself are funny and heartbreaking. The complex themes and style are more suited for older readers.

Curricular or Programming Connections:

More suited for small group discussion than a whole class read

Finally sat down and read this cover-to-cover, instead of nibbling on all the short pieces.