Harper and Benjamin go to Maui

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Format: Paperback Kindle e-Book PDF e-Book

ISBN: 0-9659483-8-2
$3.99
Harper and Benjamin go to Maui by Andrew Scott is an ebook of 84 pages available as a PDF or Kindle book. It is a humorous book with an interesting plot about a bear and a rabbit who become friends with a group of turtles in Maui and end up having an exciting time. It is recommended for children from eight to fourteen. It is mainly text, but there is a sketch in each chapter done by the author's eleven year old daughter.

Chapter 1

       As the rain got steadily worse, Harper really had to concentrate on the road ahead of him. The windshield wipers of their compact rental car were wiping at full capacity as they crawled along one of the most crooked roads Harper had ever driven along. Next to the small bear in the passenger seat was his best friend, Benjamin the rabbit. The two of them were on a ten day holiday to the island of Maui. It had been a dream of theirs to visit Hawaii for a very long time and they were really enjoying the trip.

       Benjamin was engaged in some sort of communication with the Nene (a Hawaiian Goose) that the rental car agency had recommended for the must-see difficult drive to Hana. Benjamin had insisted on going to Hana. Hana was supposed to be one of the least developed areas on Maui and as he negotiated another blood-curdling curve, Harper could see why. He had to allow that the rain forest was really beautiful along this road. As far as Harper could tell, all the Nene was doing was twittering about the car and excitedly pointing the direction in which to drive.

       Suddenly, a small furry figure darted across the roadway and Harper had to swerve sharply to avoid hitting the mongoose.

       "Look where you are going," he roared out the window. Turning to Benjamin, "I swear they do that just to see the panic in my face."

       "It says here" Benjamin replied looking closely at his guidebook, "that the mongoose is the furry congenial ambassador to the rainforests of Hana." Benjamin had been quoting a lot from his treasured guidebook, The Friendly Rabbit's Guide to Maui.

        "Benjamin, do you believe everything you read in that book?"

        "Of course I do. It was written by Vrommer the rabbit and everything he writes about in his travel books is very reliable."

       "Of course" muttered Harper under his breath and Benjamin resumed his conversation with the Nene. Harper had to allow that The Friendly Rabbit's Guide to Maui had been accurate about the hotel they were staying at in the Ka'anapali resort area. Harper had really enjoyed snorkeling, and Benjamin had done a great deal of wave riding. At night, they would often take the trolley that stopped at their hotel, the Lahaina Paws Resort, to the Whalers Village Mall for a nice dinner and some fun shopping. Harper and Benjamin spent most of their sunsets at the pool sipping coconut juice and chatting to the other guests. Harper suspected that Benjamin had a crush on the lop-eared rabbit in room 304.

        A flash of lightning illuminated the way ahead and brought Harper's thoughts back to the crisis at hand.

       "Could the Nene take a look and see if this is the right way" he addressed anyone in the car who might be listening. The road had seemed to turn into more of a gravel path, and Harper suspected that he might have missed something at the last turn. Even Harper did not need a translation as the Nene twittered in the negative. Between the closeness of the rainforest and the storm clouds above, it had become rather dark despite being only late afternoon. They all peered out the rain-drenched windshield and the Nene perched quietly on the back of Benjamin's seat. They could see dimly ahead that there was some sort of light. Harper slowed the car down and parked the car in front of a gate lit by tiki torches.

        "Ooooo tiki torches. I just love tiki torches" Benjamin jumped out of the car into the dwindling rain and gazed at the tiki torches. "I want a pair of these when we get home."

       Harper had an image of tiki torches being erected by Benjamin on their front lawn, followed not long after by the timely arrival of the fire department.

        Harper was less fascinated by the torches than by the two carved figures which flanked the entrance to some sort of compound. He was struck by the fact that these looked less like the tiki figures sold in the tourist shops and more like the ones he had seen in books about Polynesian history and archaeology. It was rather unnerving how the eyes seemed to follow him wherever he stood.

        "I need the bathroom. I wonder if they have a nice café and gift shop inside. Let's go." Before Harper could reply, Benjamin was hopping through the gate followed by the Nene. Harper went after him in an attempt to restrain Benjamin before he leapt to the wrong conclusion. He failed.

        "Hello there. Could you point the way to the bathroom. Is there an entrance fee?" Benjamin addressed these comments to a startled looking sea turtle. Harper, Benjamin, and the Nene came to a halt in the middle of the compound. Harper looked around and noticed that they were being surrounded by figures. These figures appeared to be sea turtles, and they were carrying spears.

        "Benjamin"

        "Yes, Harper"

        "I don't think this is a tourist spot."

        Benjamin looked carefully at his guide book. He looked up at the turtles and came to the same conclusion. Nevertheless, he remained the perpetual tourist.

       "Do you think they have a gift shop?"