Reading Hawaiian folktales and legends to your kids offers the opportunity to discover fascinating stories of gods and goddesses, spirits and tricksters. Sure, it would be great to head over to the islands and listen to these stories while the waves pound in the background. But just in case you are miles away from the ocean, these Hawaiian folktale books will transport your imaginations to warm and enticing climes.
(Note: this post contains affiliate links that earn from qualifying purchases.)
For a great sampling of legends and myths from different cultures check out our list of 50 folktales from around the world.
Kapaemahu by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, and Joe Wilson, illustrated by Daniel Sousa
This fascinating tale is a must read. Four healing stones, called Kapaemahu, sit on Waikiki Beach. An Indigenous Hawaiian legend tells of four individuals who traveled to Hawai'i from Tahiti. These individuals were spirits, or mahu, each with a different gift of healing. The islanders brought the stones on the beach, and the mahu transferred their healing powers to the stones. Bilingual text in Olelo Niihau and English.
MORE: After reading Hawaiian folktales, play Lu-lu dice, a traditional game from Hawai'i!
Pig-Boy: A Trickster Tale from Hawai'i by Gerald McDermott
Find it: Amazon
Everyone loves a good trickster tale! McDermott is a prolific author of folktales from around the world and here he introduces readers to the shapeshifter, Kamapua'a. The Pig-Boy is continually getting into trouble from which he escapes by transforming himself into various porcine forms. McDermott supplies an informative endnote.
MORE: Chinese folktales for kids
The Shark King, by R. Kikuo Johnson
This is part of the Toon Book series, a collection short graphic novels for young readers. It's a coming of age story for Nanaue, a mischievous boy whose father is the Shark King and whose mother is a human. The adventurous Nanaue has a set of shark jaws that open on his back which he uses to satisfy his voracious appetite while getting advice from his father and love from his mother.
MORE: Korean folktales
Hawaiian Legends for Little Ones (series) by Gabrielle Ahulii, illustrated by Jing Jing Tsong
This board book series introduces Hawaiian myths to preschoolers. It currently includes the following books: Hi'iaka Battles the Wind, Pele Finds a Home, Maui Hooks the Islands, Hina, and Naupaka. The books are very readable and I particularly like the collage illustrations.
MORE: Japanese folktales for kids
Punia and the King of Sharks: A Hawaiian Folktale, adapted by Lee Wardlaw, illustrated by Felipe Davalos
Find it: Amazon
Punia longs to be able to catch the tasty lobsters under the sea to add some variety to his boring diet. The problem? The lobsters are guarded by a group of menacing sharks! Punia puts his ingenuity into high gear, tricking the sharks one by one until only the king is left. Punia must play a final trick, but can he overcome the king? Your kids will be biting their nails in anticipation!
The Woman in the Moon: A Story from Hawai'i by Jama Kim Rattigan, illustrated by Carla Golembe
Find it: Amazon
Rattigan retells the legend of how the goddess Hina came to be the woman in the moon. Hina was a weaver, specializing in bark cloth, known as tapa. However, she was unhappy with the restrictions placed on her as a woman, and leaves the village to climb a rainbow to the moon.
How Maui Slowed the Sun by Suelyn Ching Tune, illustrated by Robin Yoko Burningham
Find it: Amazon
The boy, Maui, hears from villagers that there are not enough daylight hours (a timeless complaint!) so Maui takes it upon himself to try and convince the sun not to move so quickly across the sky. Pourquoi tales like this one, which take on the task of explaining natural phenomena, are common across cultures.
MORE: Pourquoi tales for kids
The Sleeping Giant: a Tale from Kaua'i, adapted and illustrated by Edna Cabcabin Moran
Find it: Amazon
This Hawaiian legend tells the story of how the Kaua'i mountains formed out of a fish. Villagers feed a small and weeping fish more and more poi until it grows into a giant. When the giant tires, he lays down for so long that the land grows over him.
Leave a Reply