Our Story
Aloha!
Give Your ʻOhana the Gift of Time
& Kilo Together.
ALOHA!
A little bit About Us!
Aloha my name is Marion Ano and I’m the founder of Kilo Books Hawai’i. This started as a passion project to solve my own problem with creating a meaningful way to incorporate the daily practice of observing nature with my son. As a keiki o ka ʻāina (child of the land), I yearned to instill the value of aloha ʻāina (love of the land) into his early childhood. I firmly believe that this begins with the daily practice of kilo (observation).
As a teacher and a freelance developer, it felt natural to create field guide books for children. Earlier in my professional career, as a marine conservationist, I had the privilege of studying Hawaii’s most pristine ecosystems and remote ahupuaʻa. From studying the ancient lo’i (pond fields) and settlement patterns of Wailau to counting o’opu (variety of endemic freshwater gobies) in the streams of Pelekunu, the practice of kilo, has enabled me to translate what I learned to keep me grounded to my culture and to the ʻāina.
When I’m not working on the next kilo book, I teach coding at for the Academy for Creative Media at the University of Hawaiʻi at West Oʻahu and for the Wahine Freelance Alliance.
I firmly believe that our future thought leaders, ecopreneurs, creatives, innovators, cultural practitioners, and scientists will turn to their natural world experiences to forecast and implement solutions to care for our Honua (Earth).
Illustrator Spotlight
Amanda Merritt
Can’t get enough of the beautiful illustrations behind our Kilo Books? Amanda believes that science + art = compelling visual design. When she’s not designing for us, she’s aligning designs for her company, Aline Design.
Born and raised in Boston, she grew up with her nose in a book and her fingers in paint. Her early career at the Massachusetts Cultural Council provided her with an introduction to a wide range of creative artists as well as an opportunity to kick off graphic design projects professionally.
Moving west toward warmer waters, I entered the world of ocean sciences based at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in sunny Southern California. Science and art came together in Hawaiʻi, when she started as a graphic designer for NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center with the Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research. In addition to graphic design, she led the Center’s content development and strategy for science communications.
My other passions include looking for manta rays, hiking the hills, bookworming, or eating nachos.
Illustrator Spotlight
Kelsey Ige
Are you wondering who did the amazing illustrations for My Surf Diorama? Well, just in case you don’t know, we were lucky enough to have Kelsey Ige bring the magic of surf, sea, sun, shorebirds & shells to the My Surf Diorama.
A little more about Kelsey! She is a talented creative, illustrator, and graphic designer behind The Rap Series & @alohawares! Currently, she is the Creative Director of Hawaiʻi Business Magazine!
He Mele kilo Ua Composer Spotlight
Leiʻohu Chun
My name is Leiʻohu Chun. I come from the westside of Kauaʻi, famous for its heat mirages. I am currently working towards my bachelor’s in Hawaiian studies in hopes of becoming an educator of Hawaiʻiʻs youth. I am so excited and honored to be a part of this amazing resource, created to inspire a new generation of scholars. I hope this perpetuates a deeper relationship between our resources and the residents that inhabit these beautiful and rich mokupuni (island).
Contact Us!
If you have any questions regarding our products and services, please leave us a message and we will get back to you! Mahalo nui!