HONOLULU -- Two Hawaii journalists have written a book about Sen. Barack Obama's Hawaii years and how his childhood helped shape his future.

The authors are former Honolulu Advertiser reporter Stu Glauberman and Advertiser columnist Jerry Burris.

The new book is called "The Dream Begins: How Hawaii Shaped Barack Obama."

Michelle Obama is quoted on the cover saying, "You can't really understand Barack until you understand Hawaii."

"This is a book that tells what Hawaii was like when he was here, and says if you grew up in Hawaii around this time what did you take away from Hawaii and what is it that stays with you when you leave Hawaii," author Stu Glauberman said.

Glauberman said he and Jerry Burris wrote the book in four months using written sources and interviews but no interviews with Obama or his family members.

The book covers Obama's time on the island from his birth at Kapiolani Hospital until his graduation from Punahou School in 1979.

The author said the book will have public appeal by telling people about Obama including things they may not already know.

"They will learn that he is from Hawaii that he has these values that are consistent of growing up in Hawaii," Glauberman said.

He said he referred to the values Obama continues to mention in his speeches of getting along in multicultural society.

"There is a lot about Hawaii that goes with you wherever you go, and you go on to be President of the United States it goes with you to the White House," Glauberman said.

Local publisher Watermark hopes to get the book out in time to sell at the Democratic Party Convention in Denver in August and in bookstores across the country in September.