GET IN ON ANNUAL SHARK-FILLED FUN WITH LOCAL BOOKS
Shark Week, Discovery Channel’s popular summer television event, airs from Sunday to Aug. 4 with eight days of shark specials. But some of the programming may be a bit scary for younger ones. Instead, they can get in on all the shark-filled fun with a couple of local books for a little bite — minus the fright — of the action.
“Keiki Shark in Hawai‘i” puts a cute spin on “Baby Shark,” that catchy song kids have come to love (parents, maybe not so much). The board book, great for little readers up to 4 years old, features characters such as Auntie Shark and Tutu Shark. They take care of Keiki Shark — spending the day exploring, surfing and making friends — until mom and dad come home from work.
In “Shark Patrol: A Discovery Adventure in Hawai‘i,” ideal for tweens and teens, young Kai and his sister Lehua go on a journey aboard the S.S. Scoutabout with Captain Mike and biologist Auntie Jan. They study sharks as they cruise from Hawaii to California, encountering great whites, hammerheads, whale sharks and more. The book is filled with facts and figures, perfect for kids who want to learn more about sharks and how to help them and the ocean.
“KEIKI SHARK IN HAWAI’I”
Illustrated by Jamie Meckel Tablason
>> Cost: $7.95 (BeachHouse Publishing)
>> Info: amazon.com
“SHARK PATROL: A DISCOVERY ADVENTURE IN HAWAI’I”
By Ron Hirschi and illustrated by Tammy Yee
>> Cost: $12.95 (Mutual Publishing)
>> Info: mutualpublishing.com
KEIKI DAY! BRINGS FUN, LEARNING TO KAHALA MALL
Children can learn how to become a steward of the ocean — someone who protects our most valuable natural resource, its environment and its inhabitants — with fun activities and free goodies Saturday at Keiki Day!, Kahala Mall’s largest annual family event of the year.
“Kahala Mall’s goal is to really bring our community together and create awareness with people of all ages about the protection and preservation of ecosystems in oceans and seas,” said Jessi Everett, the mall’s marketing director.
Keiki Day! features mall-wide educational booths from local non-profit organizations teaching families about the issues plaguing our oceans and how everyone can do their part to make a difference, Everett said.
There will be a T-shirt-making station, where keiki can choose a graphic depicting how to protect their favorite wildlife – such as a fish, turtle or dolphin — and it will be ironed onto a shirt they can keep as a reminder of what they learned at the event. Other highlights include a marine debris game, art activities, ocean-themed glitter tattoos and an ocean wildlife-themed photo booth.
Keiki can also receive a special passport, have it stamped at four booths after completing each booth’s activity, then turn in the completed passport during the event at Center Court to receive a free Whole Foods Market reusable tote bag, an “I am a Steward of the Ocean” sticker badge and a $5 Fun Factory gift card. (One per keiki ages 2 to 12, while supplies last.)
KEIKI DAY!
>> Where: Kahala Mall
>> When: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday
>> Cost: Free
>> Info: kahalamallcenter.com
WHEELS ON DISPLAY
Families are welcome to check out the largest collection of emergency vehicles and equipment on public display all year on Oahu at Ready2React, the state’s biggest emergency preparedness event, Saturday at Pearlridge Center.
Ready2React brings together dozens of experts who aim to prepare residents for emergencies or disasters that may affect Oahu. The event is timely as the Central Pacific hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
Participating agencies and organizations include the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management, Honolulu Emergency Medical Services, Honolulu Police Department, Honolulu Fire Department, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and International Tsunami Information Center.
READY2REACT
>> Where: Pearlridge Center; throughout mauka (uptown), first level and the T.J. Maxx parking lot
>> When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday
>> Cost: Free
>> Info: 723-8938
