Most Popular Books by Graham Salisbury

Fishing. This is it, the big time. Mikey''s 13, a deckhand working on a charter boat in Hawaii. Working for the best skipper anywhere, his stepdad, Bill. Before Bill came along, it was just Mikey and his mom. Now they''re a real family, and Mikey has a little brother. He can''t believe how lucky he is. And now he''s learning from the best, even though he''s only 13. Because Bill believes in him. And Mikey won''t let him down. He loves fishing and being out on the boat. But some seas, some fish, and some charter clients are a lot tougher to handle than Mikey ever imagined. Take Ernie and Cal—they chartered Bill''s boat for three days and they’re out for the adventure of their lives. Now it''s up to Mikey and Bill to deliver it.

Eddy Okubo lies about his age and joins the army in his hometown of Honolulu only weeks before the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. Suddenly Americans see him as the enemy—even the U.S. Army doubts the loyalty of Japanese American soldiers. Then the army sends Eddy and a small band of Japanese American soldiers on a secret mission to a small island off the coast of Mississippi. Here they are given a special job, one that only they can do. Eddy’s going to help train attack dogs. He’s going to be the bait.

Hawaii boy Calvin Coconut has come up with the best idea ever for his sister Darci''s birthday party. But a huge tropical storm hits the islands and threatens everything. It rains and rains. And rains. The river next to Calvin''s house rises high. When Calvin''s friend Willy falls into the raging water, Calvin grabs his skiff to save him. As Willy is swept into the bay, Calvin struggles in the wild waves. What happens next shows Calvin what heroes are made of.

Tomi was born in Hawaii. His grandfather and parents were born in Japan, and came to America to escape poverty. World War II seems far away from Tomi and his friends, who are too busy playing ball on their eighth-grade team, the Rats. But then Pearl Harbor is attacked by the Japanese, and the United States declares war on Japan. Japanese men are rounded up, and Tomi’s father and grandfather are arrested. It’s a terrifying time to be Japanese in America. But one thing doesn’t change: the loyalty of Tomi’s buddies, the Rats.

There are zombies at Kailua beach!! Well, kind of. Fourth-grader Calvin Coconut and his friends have been recruited by Benny Obi (the boy from Kung Fooey who liked to tell crazy stories and ate bugs) to be extras in his uncle''s movie: Zombie Zoomba! And who ends up with an actual part? Calvin''s babysitter, Stella.

Eleven interlinked stories tell the tale of a boy coming of age in Kailua-Kona, a Hawaiian fishing village. Sonny Mendoza is a little different from the rest of the men in his family. Salisbury explores characters like Aunty Pearl, a full-blooded Hawaiian as regal as the queens of old; cool Jack, from L.A., who starts a gang and dares Sonny to be brave enough, cruel enough, to join; mysterious Melanie, who steals his heart; and Deeps, the shark hunter. But the most memorable character is the sea itself: inviting, unpredictable, deadly. Mendoza men are brave men, but Sonny''s courage is of a different kind. Why can''t he love and trust the water as the men of his family are meant to do?

Welcoming a newcomer who eats bugs, claims to know kung fu and says all the wrong things to bully Tito, Calvin Coconut learns an empowering lesson about standing up for oneself and others.

Calvin Coconut''s fourth-grade class meets Benni Obi, a weird and likable new kid. Benny brags about knowing kung fu, eats worms, crickets, and chocolate-covered scorpions, and says all the wrong things to bully Tito. Uh-oh. Meanwhile, neighborhood kids and pets clear the road—Calvin''s babysitter Stella is learning how to drive. She''s got a lead foot. Readers will enjoy the humor in Kung Fooey as Calvin''s smarts and courage help him learn something new about standing up for friends, and facing a bully.

In the spirit of of Where the Red Fern Grows and Because of Winn Dixie, this is a contemporary classic in the making about a boy and his dog, and a choice that will test their loyalty and trust. Danny Mack is a rising rodeo star in rural Oregon. He lives on a ranch with his older brother, their dad, and his faithful border collie, Banjo. Late one night, Danny is awakened by gunshots. Banjo has been wounded. The neighbors claim he was going after their livestock, which gives them the right to shoot the dog or have him put down. Dad reluctantly agrees. They must obey the law. Danny knows Banjo is innocent, and comes up with a desperate plan to save him--but something goes terribly wrong. Days later, on a distant ranch, Meg Harris finds a frightened dog alone in the woods. Banjo. She takes him home and searches for the dog''s owner, furious that he was abandoned. She''s not going to give Banjo up easily. Told by Danny and by Meg, this fast-paced, heartrending novel explores the deep connection between humans and animals, and reminds readers that you can''t judge an animal--or a person--before you know their story.

Calvin Coconut needs to fix things with Stella—and fast! Stella from Texas is now officially a member of the Coconut household. As if getting a bossy babysitter isn’t bad enough for Calvin, Stella teases him mercilessly. What’s a nine-year-old boy to do? Calvin decides to “fix” her, and he dumps his neighbor’s cat Zippy on Stella’s bed, knowing she’s allergic. But when Stella breaks out in hives and misses her first big date, Calvin realizes his “zippy fix” went too far. He’s got to make it up to her, and decides to give her a birthday present. But he has no money. Along with the help of his loyal friends and little sister, Darci, Calvin works hard, and comes up with enough cash to give Stella the best birthday gift ever. Graham Salisbury’s voice perfectly captures the inner workings of Calvin’s mind, and Jacqueline Rogers’ delightful pictures add zest and humor to The Zippy Fix.

“A gripping saga of wartime survival.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Based on a true story, this World War II novel by Scott O’Dell Award winner Graham Salisbury tells how Zenji, 17, is sent from Hawaii to the Philippines to spy on the Japanese. Zenji Watanabe was born in Hawaii. He’s an American, but the Japanese wouldn’t know it by the look of him. And that’s exactly what the US government is counting on. Because he speaks both English and Japanese perfectly, the army recruits Zenji for a top-secret mission to spy on the Japanese. If they discover his true identity, he’ll be treated as a traitor and executed on the spot. As World War II boils over in the Pacific, Zenji is caught behind enemy lines. But even though his Japanese heritage is his death warrant, it’s also his key to outwitting the enemy and finding the strength to face the terrors of battle, the savagery of the jungle, and the unspeakable cruelty of war. The riveting Hunt for the Bamboo Rat is based on a true story and follows in the path of author Graham Salisbury’s other highly acclaimed Prisoners of the Empire titles, which began with the award-winning Under the Blood-Red Sun. Finalist for: Nebraska Golden Sower Award South Carolina Book Awards "Salisbury has once again crafted a fine novel, based on an actual person, about first-generation Americans of Japanese descent and the clash of culture and national identity that World War II accentuated. . . . The story will leave readers spellbound." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred "Fast-paced and compelling, this title will be enjoyed by voracious and reluctant readers." —SLJ "The history is fascinating, and Zenji is a fictional hero readers will long remember." —The Horn Book

1943, one year after the end of Under the Blood-Red Sun, Tomi’s Papa and Grandpa are still under arrest, and the paradise of Hawaii now lives in fear—waiting for another attack, while trying to recover from Pearl Harbor. As a Japanese American, Tomi and his family have new enemies everywhere, vigilantes who suspect all Japanese. Tomi finds hope in his goal of raising Papa’s fishing boat, sunk in the canal by the Army on the day of the attack. To Tomi, raising Papa’s boat is a sign of faith that Papa and Grandpa will return. It’s an impossible task, but Tomi is determined. For just as he now has new enemies, his struggle to raise the boat brings unexpected allies and friends.

DYLAN''S SCOUT TROOP goes camping in Halape, a remote spot below the volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. The only thing wrong with the weekend on a beautiful, peaceful beach is Louie, a tough older boy. Louie and Dylan just can''t get along.That night an earthquake rocks the camp, and then a wave rushes in, sweeping everyone and everything before it. Dylan and Louie must team up on a dangerous rescue mission. The next hours are an amazing story of survival and the true meaning of leadership.

In this rich collection, Salisbury’s love for Hawaii and its encircling sea shines through every story. Readers will share the rush a boy feels when he leaps off a cliff into a ravine or feasts his eyes on a beautiful woman. They’ll find stories that show what it takes to survive prep school, or a hurricane, or the night shift at Taco Bell, or first love. Graham Salisbury knows better than anyone what makes an island boy take chances. Or how it feels to test the waters, to test the limits, and what it’s like when a beloved older brother comes home from war, never to be the same.

Fourth-grader Calvin lives near the beach in Oahu with his mom and little sister. Mom says: “You’re the man of the house.” But Calvin’s not great at being the man of the house, or taking care of his responsibilities. He’s too busy having fun with his pals, and avoiding Tito, the bully. Trouble Magnet is the first book in a new series for younger readers full of all the fun of growing up in Hawaii. It introduces a wonderful multicultural cast of characters, including Mr. Purdy, who calls his fourth-grade class Boot Camp; Uncle Scoop, who runs the lunch wagon at the beach; Ledward, Mom’s 6''7" boyfriend; and gorgeous, intimidating, 15-year-old Stella-from-Texas, who arrives to be the live-in babysitter—and to step all over Calvin’s turf.

While worrying about the wild dogs that supposedly lurk in the jungle along his paper route, Hawaiian sixth grader Boy Regis also seeks to stop his older brother Damon from fighting all his battles for him.

What do you want so badly that you can taste it—and can you persuade someone to give it to you? That''s the subject of a fourth-grade writing assignment. Calvin wants a dog! He reads what he''s written to his mom to see just how persuasive he can be. No way, Mom says: Calvin is too irresponsible to care for a pet. Luckily, Mom''s boyfriend, Ledward, is on Calvin''s side. He takes Calvin to a place he calls dog heaven. There Calvin meets the dog of his dreams—Streak. Now Calvin''s got to convince Mom he''s dog-responsible, because he and Streak belong together!

Calvin''s mom says his new dog Streak smells bad. Especially her breath. Calvin''s convinced that Streak''s stink is a good one, but he''s worried. If he doesn''t solve Streak''s problem soon, mom might make him give his beloved new dog back to the shelter. So when his teacher assigns his students a discovery project, Calvin decides to discover the worst stinks—and find a solution to Streak''s bad breath.

Calvin and his mom''s boyfriend, Ledward, are good friends. When Ledward wins plane tickets, he invites Calvin to fly to Hawaii, the Big Island, for a day, and go deep-sea fishing. Wow! Calvin''s never been on a plane, or any boat but his skiff. What a day—Calvin catches his first big fish, an ono. But that''s nothing compared to what happens when Ledward hooks a huge and very angry marlin that charges the boat! Fishing with Ledward opens Calvin''s eyes to adventure and to important ideas about respecting nature.

Calvin''s dad is a famous pop singer, and he''s going to be in a concert on the island! Everyone wants to go. Dad gave Calvin''s mom 10 tickets, and Calvin has to decide who gets the last ticket: teacher''s pet Shayla, who has a crush on him (ick!) or Tito the bully? But much more important: Calvin hasn''t seen his dad in four years. And he''s never met Dad''s new wife. Will Dad still like Calvin now?