'The Tsunami Quilt: Grandfather's Story'

The Tsunami Quilt uses a family's history to explain death and natural disasters in a gentle way, and finishes on a positive note, with a father and son carrying on a Grandfather's tradition of honoring those who were lost during the 1946 tsunami that devastated portions of Hawaii.

• Read more about the event, view a Hilo webcam and get tips for tsunami survival at the Pacific Tsunami Museum's Web site.

The Tsunami Quilt: Grandfather's Story is a 40 page children's book that focuses on the relationship between Kimo, a young Hawaiian boy, and his grandfather. Each year, the pair make a trip to Laupahoehoe Point to leave a plumeria lei on a monument that stands by the seashore.

Kimo notices that his usually-talkative grandfather is always quiet when they visit that beach, and senses that the area is a place to be respectful. Grandfather promises to share the story of the monument with the youngster when he is older.

After Grandfather's death, Kimo's father explains to him that the monument is a memorial to the children and adults who died at that location during Hawaii's 1946 tsunami. He describes what happened that day, and how Grandfather was involved.

Father and son visit the site on the anniversary of the tsunami, and travel to the Tsunami Museum to view the quilt that was made in memory of those who died at Laupahoehoe Point. Snail's Trail variation blocks, one for each victim, surround a center medallion, and resemble the waves that came onshore that day.

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.