In the year 1803, when the first horse is brought to the Hawaiian Islands as a gift for the king, ten-year-old Kalia wants to ride it more than anything in the world.

KALIA & THE KING'S HORSE takes readers back to the island of Maui in Hawaii when the incredible creature, the horse, first arrived. Kalia, a 12 year old Hawaiian girl, was fascinated with the horse & the men in charge of it, dreaming that one day she might ride an animal like it. But this horse was KAPU; only its handlers & the King could ride it. However, she watched from a nearby tree, & learned all she could about the horse. While in the tree she heard two men plotting against the King. Suddenly, she realized that she must get the message to him on the other side of the island. Thus, the adventure begins. Written with a sensitive, deep understanding of the Hawaiian culture it is probably the best book about Hawaii for 4th-6th graders. The first part of Kalia's story has been excerpted & printed in the children's magazine CRICKET & has been translated into the Polynesian language of Easter Island for use in their schools.

Describes print and non-print materials for study of Pacific states in grades K-8.