New release ‘Big Hearts on a Little Island’ proceeds to help rebuild of Lahaina Public Library

A newly released 250-page coffee table book, “Big Hearts on a Little Island” from author and Maui resident Victoria Moore, tells the story of how the people of Maui stepped up to help after the devastating 2023 wildfires.

Moore told Maui Now in an email that the level of community care following the 2023 wildfires was “humanity at its best,” and unprecedented for her even after 20 years of international aid work.

“While I was volunteering after the fires I kept finding myself thinking ‘I hope someone is writing this all down,'” Moore said. “I ended up taking it on as my own project, as an offering to my community, and recorded as many of those stories as I could.”

Moore spent a year interviewing nearly 200 Maui community helpers and gathering photos from across the island to weave together the thirteen chapters in this book.

The book features stories of brave first responders, shelter volunteers, convoys by land, air, and sea, grassroots resource hubs, donations that poured in from all over the island, and the local restaurants, businesses, and nonprofits that stepped up to feed and assist thousands of people in need.

The resulting work captures the essence of the Maui community’s response, serving both as an archive for those who lived through it and as a source of inspiration for generations to come.

The team behind the book offered their time and skills pro bono to continue the grassroots efforts reflected in its pages. All of the profits from sales will be donated to support the rebuilding and regrowth of the Lahaina Public Library.

Visit www.bigheartsonalittleisland.com to order a hardcover copy in time for the holidays. Shipping, on-island delivery, and pick-up options are all available.