Island Artist
continued

giant long-sought solace. He falls into a deep slumber that stretches on
for years, and with time’s passage, his body forms the bulk of what
becomes Nounou Mountain.

It’s an origin story, an Island myth, a fanciful geological folktale, but also
a subtle, eloquent meditation on the restorative power of art and the
deeply human need for identity and recognition within a larger
community.

The author, an Alameda resident, is no stranger to island life. Born in
Maryland, Moran spent summers with her family on O’ahu, and after high
school, attended college in Honolulu, where her career in graphics began
to take shape. Back on the mainland, Moran began exploring hula and
Polynesian dance, keeping her Hawaiian connection intact.

In an artist statement, Moran connects hula to narrative: “Hula, at its
core, is storytelling. In writing, as hula, we strive for a sense of rhythm
and pacing, connecting with the audience and emoting with authenticity
and expressiveness.”

In adapting a tale from the Hawaiian oral storytelling tradition and
illustrating it with her prodigious artistic talent, Moran has created a
children’s book that is at once intelligent and beautiful enough to pull an
extra shift as a coffee table mainstay.

It’s hard to say the same about the Berenstein Bears.