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Spooky Stuffs
KNUDSEN, Eric A., Spooky Stuffs. 2nd ed. Waipahu, HI: Island Heritage Publishing (94-411 Ko’aki Street), 2003. 58p. ISBN 0-89610-772-8 (hc), $15.95. Illus.
This book is a collection of spooky tales by Eric A. Knudsen originally published in 1974. The first story in the book tells the tale of Captain Cooke landing at Waimea village on Kaua’i and the beginning of the Knudsen family. Each of the subsequent stories begins with an introduction about the author’s life at the time the story was told to him. He then tells the story. These personal elements make this book very interesting and tell the history of the author’s life on Kaua’i as well as stories of the akua. There are also several beautiful water colors and an accompanying CD.
Eric Knudsen was a folklorist who grew up on Kaua’i. He was also a lawyer and served as the representative from Kaua’i to the 1904 Republican National Convention. He was also a member of the Hawai’i House of Representatives where he served as speaker from 1905-1907.
Guy Buffet created the illustrations for this book. He was born in Paris in 1943, in a neighborhood once inhabited by greats such as Picasso and Matise. His parents owned a restaurant where he spent his time drawing on napkins and linen tablecloths while his brothers did kitchen preparations. At 14 he transferred to the Beaux Arts de Toulon to study art. At 18 he joined the French Navy, and his talent led him to become the official artist of the French Navy. In 1963 he set up his first art exhibition in the Hawaiian Islands and never left. He was commissioned Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to paint several murals at libraries throughout the state. His art has also been housed at the Lahaina Galleries for the past 19 years.
The accompanying CD is delightful to listen to. Actor Bill Sage provided his storytelling talents for this recording. The story told on the CD is almost word for word, however there are some minor word changes provided by the storyteller. I do not believe that this was intentional, however it can be rather jarring to someone who may be following along with the text. The richness of his voice and the art of the storytelling is superb, however, and most worthy of a listen. The Hawaiian words are pronounced accurately, and the sound effects layered throughout the recording add a little something extra to the telling. Bill Sage is an American actor born in New York in 1962. He has appeared in such films as Boiler Room and American Psycho. He has almost made several television appearances on shows like NCIS and CSI.
Where this book sets out to deliver spooky spirit stories from the island of Kaua’I, overall I would say this book is not all that spooky. Most of the 13 stories in the book are about akua, and there are moments of spookiness however, there isn’t a lot of spine chilling creepiness. I think this would be a great book of spookier stories for younger children and would be fabulous for introducing them to Hawaiian folklore as well as some Hawaiian terms.
This book would be appropriate for public or elementary school libraries with a folklore collection. Older kids would probably enjoy it as well, but I think it is truly geared toward the younger crowd. It is a great combination of Hawaiian folklore and history, and the read aloud CD adds an element that would be good for classroom use.
This book is a collection of spooky tales by Eric A. Knudsen originally published in 1974. The first story in the book tells the tale of Captain Cooke landing at Waimea village on Kaua’i and the beginning of the Knudsen family. Each of the subsequent stories begins with an introduction about the author’s life at the time the story was told to him. He then tells the story. These personal elements make this book very interesting and tell the history of the author’s life on Kaua’i as well as stories of the akua. There are also several beautiful water colors and an accompanying CD.
Eric Knudsen was a folklorist who grew up on Kaua’i. He was also a lawyer and served as the representative from Kaua’i to the 1904 Republican National Convention. He was also a member of the Hawai’i House of Representatives where he served as speaker from 1905-1907.
Guy Buffet created the illustrations for this book. He was born in Paris in 1943, in a neighborhood once inhabited by greats such as Picasso and Matise. His parents owned a restaurant where he spent his time drawing on napkins and linen tablecloths while his brothers did kitchen preparations. At 14 he transferred to the Beaux Arts de Toulon to study art. At 18 he joined the French Navy, and his talent led him to become the official artist of the French Navy. In 1963 he set up his first art exhibition in the Hawaiian Islands and never left. He was commissioned Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to paint several murals at libraries throughout the state. His art has also been housed at the Lahaina Galleries for the past 19 years.
The accompanying CD is delightful to listen to. Actor Bill Sage provided his storytelling talents for this recording. The story told on the CD is almost word for word, however there are some minor word changes provided by the storyteller. I do not believe that this was intentional, however it can be rather jarring to someone who may be following along with the text. The richness of his voice and the art of the storytelling is superb, however, and most worthy of a listen. The Hawaiian words are pronounced accurately, and the sound effects layered throughout the recording add a little something extra to the telling. Bill Sage is an American actor born in New York in 1962. He has appeared in such films as Boiler Room and American Psycho. He has almost made several television appearances on shows like NCIS and CSI.
Where this book sets out to deliver spooky spirit stories from the island of Kaua’I, overall I would say this book is not all that spooky. Most of the 13 stories in the book are about akua, and there are moments of spookiness however, there isn’t a lot of spine chilling creepiness. I think this would be a great book of spookier stories for younger children and would be fabulous for introducing them to Hawaiian folklore as well as some Hawaiian terms.
This book would be appropriate for public or elementary school libraries with a folklore collection. Older kids would probably enjoy it as well, but I think it is truly geared toward the younger crowd. It is a great combination of Hawaiian folklore and history, and the read aloud CD adds an element that would be good for classroom use.
Submitted in September 2009 by Amanda Schrader, LIS Student, University of Hawaii at Manoa.
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