This is the engaging tale of Joliea - the youngest fashion designer in the world tm who travels around the globe in PuOie tm, a magical submarine. The story begins in Malibu where Joliea, the protagonist, narrator, and alter-ego of author Jolie who added an a to the end of her name to give it an exotic flair, sets off with her BFF (best friend forever), Sarah, in PuOie. They travel to Hawaii on their way to Florence, Italy, where they are headed to Mr. Puchinis Fashion Studio. On the way, a rich cast of characters joins the expedition including Jolieas brother Jared and her boyfriend Max. Starlett, the cutest little starfish in Hollyfish, ducks paparazzi by wearing her sunglasses. Mona Lisa is the only monkey on the Island of Gibraltar who has a tail. Hunt, the flamboyant Spanish speaking parrot, is perpetually confused as he interprets his travel maps. Another favorite is JellyBean, a tiny turtle from the Cayman Islands who barely escapes Hurricane Charlie. (This part of the book was inspired by the real-life experience of Jolie and family having caught the last plane out just before the storm hit.) Rammy, a colorful character with a feisty attitude, is based on Jolies real-life favorite toy. (Never mind that most rams are male. This one is not. The fact is non-negotiable!) Both the Greek Goddess Tamarina and Rammy, join in the adventure as the group journeys to Malta, led by a sea horse, to save a Princess Maltese dog from the evil villain Jack the Rat! After taking care of the villain, the adventurers stop at the Duomo in Florence to admire the Gates of Paradise by Lorenzo Gilberti. At last they arrive at Mr. Puchinis studio where Joliea exchanges fashion ideas with her good friend the famous designer. The Puwaii concept was conceived by young Jolie Vanier who smooshed together a love of brightly colored Pucci designs with the tropical feel of Hawaii. Thus, the idea Puwaii was born. The imaginative story, artwork and characters make this book especially unique as well as the fact that it was created as a family effort led by eight-year-old Puwaii Visionary, Jolie. On a rainy day in Malibu where the family was visiting Jolies brother, Jared Wick, at Pepperdine University, Grandmother Betty Barber-Hughes helped inspire the idea of Puwaii by encouraging her granddaughter to draw some fashion figures. The story is both a fun journey and learning experience which exposes children to various parts of the globe as visited by the characters. It embraces the values of friendship, family, teamwork and support, and encourages young readers to explore new places and meet diverse people all through the eyes and mind of a child. In addition, it sets an example to inspire other young creative minds, encouraging them to bring to realization their own dreams. The enclosed CD audio read along as well as a DVD read along, complete with delightful sound effects, add the enjoyment of the book.
