The 2011 Ka Palapala Poʻokela Awards gala is coming soon (Friday, May 6) and to generate excitement for the event as well as educate the public on the nominees, we are counting down the potential winners, quickly highlighting the books nominated for each awards category. Where applicable, I will link to book reviews from Hawaiʻi Book Blog.

To generalize ever so sweepingly, there are often two kinds of readers in this world:  fiction readers and nonfiction readers.  Those of you who fall into the latter…you’ll appreciate this category.  For these awards, nonfiction reflects books covering history, biographies, non-natural sciences and more.

See our previous nominees posts:

Excellence in Nonfiction

Books reflecting history, biography, autobiography, science (other than natural science), geography, language, etc.

Bright Triumphs From Dark Hours: Turning Adversity into Success
David Heenan
University of Hawaiʻi Press, 2009
233 pages, hardcover
ISBN: 978-0824834302

Hamakua Hero: A True Plantation Story
P.Y. Iwasaki, illustrated by Berido
Bess Press, 2010
80 pages, paperback
ISBN: 978-1573063210
Link: [Hawaii Book Blog review]

Hart Wood: Architectural Regionalism in Hawaii
Don J. Hibbard, Glenn E. Mason, Karen J. Weitze
University of Hawaiʻi Press, 2010
276 pages, hardcover
ISBN: 978-0824832360

Kohala Kuamoʻo: Naeʻole’s Race to Save a King
Kekauleleanaeʻole Kawaiʻaeʻa, illus. by Aaron Kawaiʻaeʻa, moʻolelo by Luana and Walter Kawaiʻaeʻa
Kamehameha Publishing, 2010
32 pages, hardcover
ISBN: 0873362322

Mai Paʻa i Ka Leo: Historical Voice in Hawaiian Primary Materials, Looking Forward and Listening Back
M. Puakea Nogelmeier
Bishop Museum Press, 2010
246 pages, paperback
ISBN: 9781581780871

The Value of Hawaiʻi: Knowing the Past, Shaping the Future
edited by Craig Howes and Jon Osorio
University of Hawaiʻi Press, 2010
248 pages, paperback
ISBN: 978-0824835293

Wow!  What a wide variety of books.  And a lot of these books already look like winners.  Three of the five are already nominated in three completely different categories, and there is a lot of buzz for some of the books in here that haven’t been nominated in any other category yet.  What to decide?!  Have you read these books?  Let us know what you think!

Remember, you can attend the 2011 Ka Palapala Poʻokela Awards gala on Friday, May 6 at the Mission Houses Museum. This year’s gala event will be hosted by Kimo Kahoano and Carole Kai, with entertainment by the award-winning musical group, Nā Leo. Enjoy ʻono pupu, cocktails and gourmet chocolates by Choco leʻa. Come early and tour the Mission Houses Museum. To purchase tickets, please visit hawaiibooks.org.