AUTHORED BY HAWAI‘I’S DYNAMIC FATHER-DAUGHTER DUO, A HEARTWARMING CHILDREN’S BOOK SUPPORTS YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH.
Authors Steve Sombrero and Candice Sombrero Ishikawa reviewing the book illustrations by Journey Flores. PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE SOMBRERO
What Day Are You? invites young readers into an enchanting journey alongside Moco, a sea turtle from Laniakea, and his marine companions as they discover the secret to embracing life fully, unburdened by worries. Debuted in December, securing #1 New Release status on Amazon for both paperback and audiobooks, this locally cherished children’s book written by Steve Sombrero and Candice Sombrero Ishikawa not only provides an uplifting tale but also charitable giving. Here, Sombrero shares his inspiration behind the powerful message of resilience and embracing the present moment the book brings.
What Day Are You? PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE SOMBRERO
What inspired you to start writing? After the devastating 2011 Tohoku, Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, I visited Fukushima/ Sendai to offer support and encouragement but was met with overwhelming devastation. During this difficult trip, I had a powerful dream about the lifeline described in my book. This vivid dream highlighted the importance of living for today and letting go of the past rather than worrying about the future.
Ten years later, COVID-19 struck. During that week of seclusion, I revisited my notes from Tohoku and decided to write a book. In the process, I discovered that suicide among children aged 10-14 was on the rise worldwide due to issues brought on by the global pandemic. It was clear to me that I needed to write this book for young people, and I chose to do so using fictional characters from one of the most beautiful beaches in Hawai‘i. My hope is that children and their parents will find solace, hope and inspiration in its pages and that it may even save a life somewhere on this planet.
What Day Are You? PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE SOMBRERO
PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE SOMBRERO
How was the experience of working together as a fatherdaughter team?
My daughter, Candice, and I have partnered on many business projects in the past—including our family enterprise, Aloha Beer Company—but this is our first co-authored and published book together. Both of us are rightbrained thinkers full of creativity and imagination, which made collaborating on this book easy and enjoyable.
This book is so special to us because we both lived through one of the most challenging periods of our lives. When Candice was just two years old, she contracted a lifethreatening medical condition. At the time, I lived in Guam. As her health continued to deteriorate, we learned that Dr. Bob Wilkinson at the Kapiolani Medical Center was an expert in this rare disease, so we packed up and moved to Hawai‘i. Fortunately for us, Candice was saved, and we decided to make Hawai‘i our home. Our faith and belief that each new day brings hope and goodness for a better tomorrow is deeply ingrained in our minds and is, in fact, the basis for our book.
Why did you choose to work with the Moore Aloha Foundation?
We believe that our partnership with The Moore Aloha Foundation, spearheaded by Olympic Gold Medalist surfer Carissa Moore, will positively impact many young lives by giving them hope and courage to live each day with purpose and joy. Our donation of a substantial portion of the proceeds is a token of appreciation for the foundation’s empowering work for young girls, including hosting wellness events, offering monthly essay scholarships, providing paid internships and planning future mentorship programs. These vital resources aim to support adolescents’ and teens’ mental health journeys.
A portion of the proceeds from What Day Are You? benfit Olymipic gold medal surfer Carissa Moore’s The Moore Aloha Foundation, supporting a positive mental health journey for youth girls. PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE SOMBRERO
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