‘Ohana Means Family

Synopsis: 

“Join the family, or ohana, as they farm taro for poi to prepare for a traditional luau celebration with a poetic text in the style of The House That Jack Built.

“This is the land that’s never been sold, where work the hands, so wise and old, that reach through the water, clear and cold, into the mud to pick the taro to make the poi for our ohana’s luau.”

Acclaimed illustrator and animator Kenard Pak’s light-filled, dramatic illustrations pair exquisitely with Ilima Loomis’ text to celebrate Hawaiian land and culture.

The backmatter includes a glossary of Hawaiian terms used, as well as an author’s note.”

Review:

Getting ready for a luau is a lot of work. With cumulative text, Ilima Loomis brings the reader up close and personal with farming taro to make poi. The text is so beautiful. Each couplet is stringed together to create a complete story about a family coming together to share a meal. And no matter where you’re from and what you celebrate – eating together is something that is shared universally. I really enjoyed the text that not only highlights generations of family. But also how the environment plays a big role in the luau as well.

The illustrations are filled with beautiful colors that encourage you to admire the story that much more. With beautiful colors of the sunset and the bright, bold greens of lush Hawaii, the illustrations made me want to jump right into the final spread. It’s an illustration of a gigantic family table on the beach filled with food and enough chairs for the entire family as the sun begins to lower over the water.

My Final Thoughts

I would totally pair this title up with other books for a Thanksgiving storytime. Although it might seem a little untraditional, the concept of sitting down together as a family is not. I also really enjoyed this story from a learning perspective as I’ve heard of poi, but didn’t really know much more about it. With two starred reviews, this is a beautiful read and a fun story to read with kids who can help repeat some of the verses as they carry throughout the text.

Need to Know:

Title: ‘Ohana Means Family
Author: Ilima Loomis
Illustrator: Kenard Pak
Publisher: Neal Porter Books
Publication Date: January 7, 2020
Page Number: 272 pgs.