Mary Martin

Little Kuapio Kohola Mary Martin

I would like to dedicate this book to the Kuapio Kohola or humpback whales that migrate from Alaska to the Hawaiian Islands each year. These great whales have been protected since 1966 and return to the warm shallow waters of Hawaii to give birth and breed. They travel over 3,000 miles from the Gulf of Alaska to Hawaii in less than 2 months. They stay from December to May while their babies grow strong for the migration back to Alaska. They then migrate back to Alaska in May to eat and put on weight in preparation for their migration back to the warm shallow waters of Hawaii. This is a yearly ritual. Humpback calves are considered "kamaaina" or native born Hawaiians since they are born in Hawaiian waters! This book describes their migration in an easy to read poem that teaches youngsters about the wonderful humpback whales that migrate up and down the seas between Alaska and Hawaii.