Reading Aloud Activity

Grandpa’s Mixed Up Luau

Suggested Age: Read-aloud, Preschool to Grade 2; Independent Reading: Grades 1 and up

Submitted by Lori Bruner Okamura, School Librarian, Hongwanji Mission School

Book: Grandpa’s Mixed-up Luau by Tammy Pakai

Story Summary:
Grandpa “helps” Grandma prepare for a lu’au for their family and friends. Grandpa tries to be helpful but mishears what Grandma says and keeps bringing the wrong things back for the party. All ends well thanks to Grandpa’s creative thinking!

Story Lessons:
Trying to be helpful; Understanding of the elderly; Hearing challenges; Mishearing words that sound alike; Compassion; Not giving up; Thinking of solutions; Hawaiian food terms; Family and community.

Activities:

• Read the story together noting the Hawaiian words and their meaning. Ask your child what favorite foods would be good to eat at a lu’au or family gathering.
• Find pictures of food dishes and ingredients in magazines, newspapers, and store ads. Point out letters and words that accompany the photos or drawings so your child sees words in contexts other than story books. Cut out the pictures to make your own “Mixed-Up Lu’au” booklet or poster. Add words from cut-out letters or write your own names of the food dishes.
• Part of the fun is the words that Grandpa mispronounced. Think of rhyming words for your favorite foods – the sillier the better! Make an oral story with your child, taking turns saying more mistakes than your Grandpa character makes.
• Use words that are in the book like “mahalo” and “auwe” as you create your stories.
• Make a puppet show with drawings of the characters attached to popsicle sticks, and re-tell the story with voices and expressive intonations (excited voice, sad voice, etc.)
• Using a digital device, find images of food or take digital photos of favorite food for your digital storytelling. String together the images and do a voice-over of your story. Older children can add words and subtitles to your digital story.