
In the Shadow of the Pali tells the compelling story of Liliha, a twelve-year-old Hawaiian girl diagnosed with leprosy in the late 1800s. She is forcibly removed from her home and sent to the isolated Kalaupapa colony on Molokai, a place of immense suffering and prejudice. The novel vividly portrays the savage living conditions and the challenges Liliha faces, both from her illness and the people around her. Yet, amidst the horror, Liliha discovers profound lessons about love, resilience, and the human spirit's capacity for hope. It's a poignant historical fiction that offers a window into a difficult past, suitable for mature late elementary readers.
In this extraordinary first novel, Cindrich brings hope to horror, capturing a journey that teaches a lost girl who has leprosy more about love than she has ever known.