The only thing I needed to know about this book was that it was set in Hawaii. And it was written by a Native Hawaiian? Bet. I needed it in my hands as soon as I could get it. And let me just tell you, I could definitely tell the difference between this and a non-Native.

Ok so the coolest thing about this was obviously her gift. I mean as a grown person I can’t say I’d enjoy that gift now lol But it was cool for her. However, I can see how it got her in trouble. Especially dealing with all she was dealing with before she realized her powers. Those kids were terrible. And let me just say I don’t blame her in the least for what she did because Lordt they were mean. I do wish we learned more about the other gifts and where they might have come from tho. We get literally no back story and it drove me crazy.

I loved the setting tho. I have never been to Hawaii, and this was definitely going to be my way to get there. All the plants that her grandmother had and all the green stuff on their property, it sounded so lush and cool! I wish I could have seen it in person or gotten a better like description of what it looked like, but I remembered this was a MG book and I knew that wasn’t happening. It was great for what it was tho. I also liked the other aspects of the Native Hawaiian culture, like the language. And the way the author taught us some of the words from the language that was at one point illegal. It was a cool thing to learn because I never knew that little tidbit of history. One thing I love about reading is all the things you learn.

The plot itself was very slow tho. And she spent a large portion of this book mad at everyone. She was mad at her old friend. And then her new friend. And then she was mad at the dad and her grandma and the rest of the kids in her grade. And while that is actually the way most tweens are, I wanted some type of growth. It was mostly just her broody and moody the whole time.

This was cute, but I still wish there was a bit more if you know what I mean? Definitely a welcome reprieve from recommending books by non-Native Hawaiians. I now have a Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander rec from every age group! And that makes me so, so happy. Elevate and uplift all marginalized voices!

I loved the relationship between Clara and her Tutu (grandmother). I thought it was strange that her parents would leave her in a different state with their grandmother especially if she had health concerns. Clara's Tutu was fighting with her dad to get Clara to stay. She wants her family home with her and why wouldn't she? If Clara were to leave she would be all alone. But her dad was listening only to what Clara was saying and not thinking that his older mother needed him too which was frustrating as a reader. Tutu is as hard-headed as her son but provides a stable and caring figure in Clara's life. I appreciated how everything got resolved and that Clara finally had her dad by her side.

Clara becomes more open to the kids around her once she gets her powers but it takes her a while to learn to really listen. The heart of this book is about listening and communication with others which offers a great message to young readers. It was wonderful to see her and Leo finally speaking to each other and getting over what was obviously a miscommunication.

There are a couple of things I wish were different. I wish Clara's power wasn't just boy-related since who wants to read boys' minds for the rest of their lives? I do understand the appeal to middle-grade girls but overall I wish her power didn't center around boys. I also wish there was a glossary. When I read books with Spanish words it feels like home so I can understand it could be the same with Hawaiian words but it might frustrate younger readers with the amount of Hawaiian words that they might not know the meaning of.

I hope that Kahakauwila continues to write more middle-grade books but explains the meaning behind Hawaiian words in the future because it took me out of the experience of this heart-warming book more than I wanted it to. There are so few Hawaiian authors writing books in mainstream publishing so the publishing of Clairboyance (just like Lei and the Fire Goddess) excites me. I look forward to seeing where she takes her readers in her next book.

Absolutely enjoyed this story that will definitely appeal to a wide variety of middle grade readers. It has the perfect amount of fantasy for young readers who aren’t into complicated high fantasy and want simpler, contemporary fantasy. Thoroughly engaging and unique, it’s one of my favorite reads so far this year.