Watch Kids' Reviews of
HUNATICS CLUB, THE

A girl tries to determine where her life is going and finds a connection with friends, family and ancestors along the way. The premise is original and imaginative. The girl works with friends to strengthen their inner powers among family members that hold a myriad of mystical talents from leaf reading to talking with animals. Children will most likely enjoy the way Noelani and her family and friends work together to resolve problems ranging from divorce to rodeo racing to weather. Good plot development. The greatest strength is how the characters communicate with one another - with their talents and verbally. There is a strong emphasis on family relations and working with others as a unit to bring positive energy to a situation such as when they band together in the park to use positive energy to move the rain clouds away. One is immediately drawn into the story and can easily visualize it. There are several small conflicts that easily mesh into the story's main conflict - i.e. Noelani's relationship with her father, boy/girl issues, befriending the boy with Asperger Syndrome. It unfolds in a very natural manner. A lot happens in a one week spam but it all seems to fit into the story and one doesn't feel rushed. The connection between the father and grandfather make sense and offer a hint at future healing. The ending is very satisfying. All the loose ends are tied up. Noelani shows that she has found the strength in herself and knows how she is going to face the future. Definite page turner. Good pace. It transports the reader to Maui. Very credible characters; they are good people with some flaws. The grandfather realizes he has treated his son unfairly and the father realizes the way he tries to reach out to Noelani is wrong and works on correcting it. Kids in close knit families will identify with the interactions of the various relatives. Others might relate to dealing with bullies like the mean brothers at the rodeo. Well written with good grammar, spelling and punctuation. There is some mild profanity that is extraneous to the story. It shows different cultures and different beliefs with the ancestor connection. Would make a great film. Excellent

A Hawaiian teenager must use kahuna magic to stop the storm raining down on her parade--and her life.