Pakalōlō Sweet by Hannah Ii-Epstein

Junior Boy is a young Hawaiian man who comes from a lineage of marijuana growers on the North Shore of Oʻahu and is now proudly expecting a baby with his girlfriend, Nani. During a night of karaoke, beer, and W**d, the medical uses, benefits, and cultural aspects of marijuana in pre-contact Hawai‘i are explored. What follows is unexpected and heartbreaking as we witness Junior Boy’s struggle to do what he believes is best for his ‘ohana. This prequel to Not One Batu follows Papa’s family—and the inevitable hardships arising when indigenous values are systematically marginalized.