Bess Press was founded in 1979 to develop and deliver quality stories about the people, histories, and cultures of Hawai'i.
Our Mission
Since our founding, we have collaborated with writers, educators, artists, scholars, linguists, and cultural practitioners to help us shape the direction of our publishing and create lasting publications that resonate deeply with our island communities.
As a 21st century publisher, our vision is to serve a broad and diverse audience, from babies and toddlers to kūpuna (elders). We are not defined by a single genre or catalog, our long-term success is built on a comprehensive model that integrates content acquisition, product and book design, distribution, and meaningful consumer engagement.
Our goal is to remain a trusted resource and committed content partner to readers, institutions, and publishers around the world as we celebrate, uplift, and share the many stories of Hawai'i and Oceania with a global audience.
- Hawai'i the Pacific State: Originally published as Hawaii: The Aloha State in 1960. Bess Press acquired the rights to that text in 1979, then revised and updated it
- Hawaiians of Old: Written by Betty Dunford in 1979 and first published in 1980. Realizing there was a need for an elementary school book on ancient Hawaiian culture, Dunford partnered with Bess Press and authored Hawaiians of Old, now in its 4th edition.
- Pacific Nations and Territories: Originally published in 1982, Bess Press acquired the copyrights to Pacific Nations and Territories, a college text and released a revised second edition in 1988.
- Pacific Neighbors: Based on Pacific Nations and Territories, Pacific Neighbors was produced with the same intent of providing students of the Pacific with histories about their communities, but written at a lower reading level for more widespread use in school grades.
- Hush Little Keiki: In 2015, Bess Press expands on the interactive board book concept releasing this charming fold-out book.
- The Musubi Man: In 1996, a classic local food snack became the subject of this enduring title based off a timeless fable.
- History of the Hawaiian Kingdom: Originally publishing as The Hawaiian Monarchy in 1983. this title was revised and rewritten as History of the Hawaiian Kingdom with 200+ primary source documents, photos, and drawings.