The pages trace a dollar bill as it passes through the islands.

The buck starts here

...and ends up everywhere

I Had a Dollar in Hawai'i:
By Jodi Endicott; illustrated by Hans Loffel,
Palila Books; 32 pages; $9.94

By Nadine Kam, Features Editor
Star-Bulletin

A little girl helps her tutu tend to her garden and earns a dollar for her effort. That is the beginning of a charming children's book that turns out to be part story, part travelogue and part math lesson.

After earning the dollar, the little girl heads off to Haleiwa where she buys a rainbow shave ice. Accompanying photos show the town's landmark bridge and surf-related attractions.

From there, the dollar makes its way to the bank, changing hands often and going island hopping, first to Maui, then the Big Island, Lanai, Molokai and Kauai. Readers must keep turning the page simply to find out where this dollar bill goes next.

If only school lessons could be as colorful and fun as presented by writer Jodi Endicott and illustrator Hans Loffel.

The idea behind the book is similar to that of a '70s local television ad tracking the journey of a dollar bill aired frequently. At the time, tourism was booming and the ever-growing numbers of visitors threatened local lifestyles. The ad's message was that kama'aina should treat tourists with aloha because they brought the dollars that changed hands throughout communities and did so much good in the process.

This time around, with Internet retailing booming, Endicott's book reinforces the DBEDT's plea to help sustain Hawaii businesses by spending locally.

Young children may not care about any of that adult stuff, but there are other important lessons in the book, such as learning to count change.

The symbols on the dollar bill are also explained. The art work may need to be redone when the bill, along with the rest of the U.S. currency, is redesigned.

At a time when children don't seem to understand the value of money, the book is timely.

And for adults in pursuit of that first million, the book is quaint reminder that a dollar can be precious and magical.

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