Set in Hawaii, this heartwarming book and its lovable characters offer adults and children helpful ways to understand, discuss, and better handle stressful times.

Why Is Pono Not Pono Today? is a book where kids of all ages easily identify with the normally happy Pono the Bull. Pono snaps after others are mean to him, but his friend Kuleana helps to quickly bring back the best in Pono. Here, tough situations end well through love, creativity, and working closely together. When you know how to work through the toughest situations together, stress becomes your superpower. 

Her trailblazing 34-year military career led Author Deb Lewis to discover how essential stress skills are to lasting success.

Shortly after moving to Hawaii, Deb spoke at a local college using cartoons to teach students healthier ways to respond to stress. Soon after, Pono's story was born to share the secret to quickly transform negative stress into amazing outcomes. Non-profit groups like Rotary International, Lions Club, and In2 InThinking donated hundreds of books to local elementary schools. One teacher chose to read the story to her class and said, “I have a student in my class who gets angry and frustrated very easily. On this particular day I decided to read the story to the class she was upset over a small matter and had her head down with her eyes covered. As I was well into the story she would slowly peek and soon she was upright and very interested into the story. She had forgotten what she was angry about and was smiling and participating in the questions I asked stress free and at peace.”

When asked about this book, the mother of a five-year-old shared, “She said Pono was angry because all of the people were mean to him. Kuleana helped him get better. She said she showed him love and respect. Verbatim: She’s in Kindergarten. Much more articulate than I am...right now.”