Hawai'i Author Advocates Creative Writing to Help Children and Adults Come to Terms with Alzheimer's Disease
Author Frances H. Kakugawa
Author and educator Frances H. Kakugawa will hold book signings and presentations in Hilo, Lihue and Honolulu during the month of October. Kakugawa, who grew up in Kapoho on the Big Island of Hawai‘i, will be the keynote speaker at the Hawai‘i County Office of Aging Caregiver Conference, and will lead workshops for the Alzheimer Association Aloha Chapter’s Kaua‘i and Honolulu offices. All events are open to the public.
Kakugawa is an advocate of the power of writing to help families and caregivers cope with the burdens of long-term illness. She has been featured on KHON2 newscasts with Kirk Matthews and in The Honolulu Advertiser for her work with children and adults, using journaling and creative writing to come to a better understanding of Alzheimer’s patients and deal with the stresses of having a family member afflicted with the disease.
Wordsworth Dances the Waltz by Frances Kakugawa
In her latest book, Wordsworth Dances the Waltz (Watermark Publishing, 2007), children are introduced to the concept that as grandparents age, they may become different, and even forget important things. The titular character of Wordsworth, a young mouse, writes poems to cope with the strange changes he is seeing in his grandmother. Kakugawa is a retired Hawai‘i public school teacher, who also taught in Michigan and Micronesia and served as a teacher trainer at the University of Hawai‘i.
Kakugawa will hold workshops, readings and book signings:
Friday, October 16; 8:30am - 3:00pm
Hawaii County Office of Aging Caregivers Conference
Aging & Disability Resource Center, 1055 Kinoole St., Hilo
Keynote Speaker & Workshops
$10 registration; contact HCOA at (808) 327-9597 for more information
Wednesday, October 21; 10:00am - 11:30am
“Reclaiming Your Voice” writing workshop
Alzheimer’s Association Honolulu Office
Ward Warehouse, 2nd Fl.
Call 808-591-2771 for more information
Saturday, October 24; 10am - 2pm
8th Annual Kauai Keiki Story Festival
Kukui Grove Shopping Center
Readings & Book Signing
Saturday, October 24; 3pm
Kauai Alzheimer’s Association
“Reclaiming Your Voice” writing workshop
Kukui Grove Shopping Center, Jam Room
Call 808-245-3200 for more information
Mosaic Moon
Kakugawa will also be using material from one of her earlier books, Mosaic Moon: Caregiving Through Poetry, in her presentations. Mosaic Moon is a resource for caregivers with inspirational poetry reflecting the trials and small triumphs of the family caregiver, as well as a how-to guide to creating poetry support groups. The book grew out of a series of workshops Kakugawa conducted for the Alzheimer’s Association Aloha Chapter.
Wordsworth Dances the Waltz has been praised by the Midwest Book Review as a “superbly written picturebook story” that “should be a part of every elementary school and community library picturebook collection for young children.” It is a Mom’s Choice Awards® Silver Recipient in the category “Crossing Generations” and has been named “Best Illustrated Children's Book” and Bronze Award winner for “Best Book Overall” by the Northern California Publishers & Authors group.
Wordsworth Dances the Waltz is the second book featuring the literary mouse. The first Wordsworth title, Wordsworth the Poet, was the recipient of the 2004 Ka Palapala Book Award for Excellence in Children’s Books from the Hawai‘i Book Publishers’ Association. In addition to the Wordsworth titles, Kakugawa has written an entertaining, insightful memoir of classroom life: Teacher, You Look Like A Horse!
All of her books will be available at her workshops, and are sold at local bookstores, other retail outlets and from online booksellers, or direct from the publisher at www.bookshawaii.net.
Tags: Alzheimer's, Frances Kakugawa, Mosaic Moon, Wordsworth Dances the Waltz, Wordsworth the Poet, writing workshop
October 25th, 2009 at 3:27 am
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