From an advance review copy for which I thank the publisher.
I'm not sure about the main character's name or the idea of herself and her younger sister going off unsupervised, but clearly this is a pure fantasy story not remotely tied to reality, which then begs the question as to how it can highlight Hawaii's attractions when it's so disconnected. There also seemed to be a lot of convenient things falling improbably place: Piperlicious winning a vacation to the very place she wanted to go, and her effortless finding of the treasure.
The story was upbeat and fun, and the illustrations by Ashraf were cute, brightly colored, and satisfying, and Piperlicious's dedication her quest was quite admirable, but given how spoiled she seems to be and how easy everything is for her, I really don't see how I can commend this a worthy read.
I'd like a little more realism, even in a fantasy story. I have to wonder how Piperlicious would cope if she ever had a day when things didn't automatically and predictably go precisely the way she wants them to. I can't commend this for that reason. It just felt wrong and too 'lucky' when others are having a hard time, especially right now. This was too 'Disney Princess' for my taste.
