Moki is a little Hawaiian gecko who loves to joke and laugh, but his rambunctiousness annoys the other animals, who banish him from the village. After Moki befriends the king's daughter and faces down the dreaded Black Bufo toad, the others appreciate his uniqueness and the importance of laughter.
About the Author
Bruce Hale is a writer, illustrator, storyteller and Fulbright Fellow. He has written or illustrated nearly twenty books for children. His ongoing Chet Gecko Mysteries series has also appeared in audiobook format and is under option to make an animated film.
Raised by wolves just outside Los Angeles, Bruce began his career as a writer while living in Tokyo, and continued it when he moved to Hawaii in 1983. He worked as a magazine editor, gardener, deejay, and corporate lackey before plunging into the world of children's books in 1989.
Besides his writing and illustrating, Bruce has performed extensively on stage and television. He has appeared in numerous plays and musicals, TV commercials, and in an independent film called "The Ride," where he plays a surfer's agent.
Bruce is a popular speaker and storyteller, both with adults and children. In 1998, he won a Fulbright Grant to teach storytelling and study folklore in Thailand. He has also been a featured storyteller at Honolulu's annual "Talk Story" festival and the L.A. Times Festival of Books.
As a presenter, Bruce has spoken at national and regional conferences of booksellers, educators, and writers — including the International Reading Association, the Society for Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, the Southeast Booksellers Association, and others. He has visited schools fromHawaii, to Idaho, to Pennsylvania, and has taught writing workshops at colleges.
In his spare time, Bruce enjoys playing and performing jazz music, as well as bicycling, hiking, and body boarding.
