Escape to Molokai

Book Synopsis: At a time when leprosy threatens the world, one boy searches for his missing parents in this heartwarming, triumphant tale.

“A gripping adventure” Elara, Vine Voice

This heavily-researched, fictional book retells the 1946 leprosy pandemic in Hawaii, where lepers were quarantined on a remote pacific island. Told through the eyes of one brave boy.

When 13-year-old George’s best friend is arrested as a leper, George is devastated and afraid. Is it possible George has caught the awful plague, too? His best friend is sent to the mysterious, remote island colony called Kalaupapa. No one ever comes back.

Soon, George realizes the authorities are searching for him, too. He’s on the run, and his only hope is to find his missing birth parents, parents he hasn’t seen since he was a baby. He’s penniless, alone, and there’s no one he can trust. Will it mean escaping to Molokai, a place feared by all? Does he have what it takes to survive? Based on historical written accounts and hours of research, this little-known piece of world history is exceptionally riveting, fast paced, and pulls at the heartstrings. The leprosy disease, now known as Hansen’s Disease, devastated the world until a cure was discovered in 1946.

Includes an informative fact section at the back with a historical timeline and more information about the disease.

Sure to appeal to fans of books like An American Plague from Newbery Honor winner Jim Murphy, Fever 1793 by New York Times bestseller Laurie Halse Anderson, and Fever Year: The Killer Flu of 1918 by Don Brown.

A strikingly relevant must-read in today's current situation.

An inspiration book of tenacious survival and the strength of the human spirit.