da Shop Talk: Journal

Catherine Toth Fox, author, Kai Goes to the Farmers Market in Hawaiʻi (BeachHouse Publishing, 2019).  Hey Cat, what are you reading? Cat: Narrowing down my favorite book is like asking me to...

During the pandemic, I’ve read many books that were welcome escapes but also quickly forgotten. A handful of stories, however, have resonated so deeply with me that they have taken...

We are unabashed fans of picture books so it’s little surprise that an opinion piece in The New York Times was quite a point of conversation amongst our staff.  The...

Sara Ackerman is well-known for her compelling historical fiction novels about romance, friendship, and courage in WWII-era Hawai‘i. Her latest novel, Radar Girls, is based on the inspirational stories of...

Let’s start at the end. With the abject terror of leaving something behind. The next thing is scary. There, I said it. But endings aren’t endings unless we let them...

With summer upon us and the Olympics just around the corner, we've been diving into a fresh, new picture book about Maui's famous Three-Year Swim Club.  Sakamoto's Swim Club: How a Teacher...

We immediately fell in love with When Lola Visits as soon as it arrived in the bookstore!  This vibrant picture book lovingly depicts the relationship between a young Filipina, her lola, and...

Inhale. Exhale.  Mindfulness begins with the breath. We start here because it’s simple, accessible, and something we rarely consider closely.  But maybe it’s not that simple. Breathing itself is automatic....

I talk to a lot of people. More than most, probably. In my day job, I tell other people’s stories, the kind you may not have heard because there’s no...

Recently, a friend taught me the Japanese word wabi-sabi. He described it as the appreciation of imperfection through understanding that every moment is fleeting. This moment will come and pass...

Welcome to a poetry read aloud with da Shop! In honor of National Poetry Month, join poet and author Sue Cowing read a selection of poetry from her book My Dog...

Lots of people think they’re not creative. While it’s true we can’t all be Lady Gaga, we can all create. I recently read Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, in...