World Literary Awards

← Back to Home

Graham Salisbury

グラハム・サリズベリー

Graham Salisbury

Pen Names: Sandy Salisbury（Stage name used during late-1960s pop music career）, Little Johnny Coconut（Alternate name used for intermittent later musical activity）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1944-04-11 （Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Religion
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Residence History
Philadelphia (birthplace) → Hawaii (grew up / lived) → Kailua, Oahu (residence) → Kamuela (attended Hawaii Preparatory Academy) → Lake Oswego, Oregon (current residence)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Musician, Session vocalist
Active Years
1964-
Affiliations
Vermont College of Fine Arts (visiting faculty / affiliated)

Education

Hawaii Preparatory Academy
Country: United States
Attended as secondary education; specific graduation year unknown.
Montessori elementary education study in Bergamo, Italy
Period: 1975-1976
Country: Italy
Studied Montessori education; unclear whether a formal degree was awarded.

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Blue Skin of the Sea: a novel in stories

1992 Novel in stories

A collection of interconnected stories set in Hawaii, depicting youth and community life.

HawaiiComing-of-ageFamily

Under the Blood Red Sun

1994 Historical novel (children's/young adult)

A historical novel about a Japanese-American boy and his family during World War II, addressing discrimination and family bonds.

World War IIJapanese-American experienceDiscriminationFamily
Adaptations
  • [Film] Under the Blood Red Sun (film) (2014)

Shark Bait

1997 Children's fiction / Adventure

A children's adventure novel focusing on youth, local nature, and perilous situations.

AdventureNatureFriendship

Eyes of the Emperor

2005 Historical novel (children's/young adult)

Follows a Japanese-American boy through experiences and conflicts surrounding World War II.

IdentityWarCultural conflict

Calvin Coconut series

2009 Children's novels / Humor 133 pages

A series about fourth-grader Calvin Coconut set in Hawaii; humorous everyday adventures with illustrations aimed at younger readers.

Everyday lifeHumorFriendshipHawaii

Bibliography

  • Blue Skin of the Sea: a novel in stories (1992)
  • Under the Blood Red Sun (1994)
  • Shark Bait (1997)
  • Jungle Dogs (1998)
  • Lord of the Deep (2001)
  • Island Boyz: short stories (2002)
  • Bad Day for Baseball (in Shattered: Stories of Children and War) (2003)
  • Eyes of the Emperor (2005)
  • House of the Red Fish (2006)
  • Night of the Howling Dogs (2007)
  • Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet and series (2009-2013)
  • Hunt for the Bamboo Rat (listed as forthcoming in 2014)

Adaptations

  • Film: Under the Blood Red Sun (2014)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Plain, direct narrationAccessible voice for children and young adultsStrong emphasis on regional (Hawaii) setting and description
Recurring Motifs
Family and bondsCultural identityEffects of war and discriminationHawaii, the sea, and nature

Legacy

Graham Salisbury is known for his children's and YA historical novels and Hawaii-set series. His novel Under the Blood Red Sun depicts the Japanese-American experience during WWII and was adapted as a film. He also has a notable music career from the 1960s (as Sandy Salisbury), with recordings that later gained a cult following among sunshine pop enthusiasts.

Archives

  • Library of Congress catalog records

In Popular Culture

  • Film adaptation of Under the Blood Red Sun (2014)
  • Cult rediscovery and reissues of 1960s sunshine pop work (The Millennium and solo recordings)

Trivia

  • Performed and recorded as 'Sandy Salisbury' in the late 1960s.
  • Worked with Curt Boettcher and was a member of The Millennium.
  • Studied Montessori education in Bergamo, Italy (1975-76).
  • Under the Blood Red Sun was adapted into a film in 2014.
  • Lives with his family in Lake Oswego, Oregon.