'Ohana Means Family
By Ilima Loomis
The Story
A Hawaiian family works backward through the steps of growing taro, tracing each hand and task that leads to the poi made for their ohana's luau celebration.
Why It's Special
For the kid who loves tracing how things are made, from soil to table, this book builds that chain link by link, the way 'The House That Jack Built' does.
- Big idea: Food, land, and family are woven together — every dish carries the work of many hands and the history of a place.
- Vibes: Warm, rhythmic, and rooted, with a cumulative rhyme that builds like a chant.
Perfect For Kids Who
- love rhyming and cumulative, build-on stories
- are curious about where food actually comes from
- enjoy learning words from another culture
- respond well to repetitive, chant-like read-alouds
Ask Your Little Reader
- Story structure: Can you remember the order the family's steps happened, from the land to the poi?
- Real-life connection: What's a food your family makes together, and what steps does it take?
- Vocabulary & culture: What does 'ohana' mean, and why do you think that word matters so much in this book?
- Imagination: What do you think it would feel like to reach into the cold mud to pick taro?
- Observation: What did you notice about the land and water in Kenard Pak's pictures?
