Joy Harjo For a Girl Becoming (University of AZ, $17.95) A powerfully written Native American coming-of-age themed poem, beautifully illustrated as a gift for all life passages. Transformative moments in the cycle of life are a time for acknowledgment, a chance to guide a child's path in a positive and loving direction. Swirling images laden with both myth and personal meaning illustrate this unique, poetic tale of the joys and lessons of a girl's journey through birth, youth, and finally adulthood. Joy Harjo (Mvskoke/Creek) is an internationally known poet, writer, and musician. She has published seven books of poetry and the children's book The Good Luck Cat. Bookworks has invited Joy to perform music at this book launch.

Lurline McGregor Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me (Kamehameha Publishing, $15) Moana Kawelo, PhD, has a promising career as a museum curator in Los Angeles. The untimely death of her father - and the gravitational pull of Hawaii when she returns home for his funeral - causes Moana to question her motivations and her glamorous life in California. Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me is the story of Moana's struggle to understand her ancestral responsibilities, mend relationships, and find her identity as a Hawaiian in today's world.