Client Story

The Adventures of Eva and Duke
Ka He’enalu ‘ana me Pop Pop: Surfing with Pop Pop

This braille board book is more than a children’s story – it’s a family legacy.

Created by author Tara Keanuenue Gumapac in collaboration with her mother, this story began years ago as one of the many tales Tara’s mom shared with her grandchildren.

When Tara became a mother herself, those cherished stories found new life.

Together, mother and daughter set out to transform one beloved family narrative into a beautifully crafted book, one that Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) families and other Indigenous communities could see themselves reflected in.

During the creation of The Adventures of Eva and Duke, Tara’s mother passed away. Rather than putting the project aside, Tara chose to continue. The book became a way to honor her mother’s memory, preserve her voice, and build a legacy rooted in cultural pride, accessibility, and equity for Indigenous children.

About the Board Book

Tara Keanuenue Gumapac partnered with MCRL Overseas Group to transform Ka He’enalu ‘ana me Pop Pop: Surfing with Pop Pop into a beautifully crafted, durable book. Our board book expertise allowed us to carefully integrate tactile elements to bring this family legacy to life in a format designed to be both accessible and enduring.

Format: 11” x 8.5” braille board book
Pages: 40pt gloss board with aqueous eco-gloss coating
Printing: Full 4/4 soy-based ink color throughout

Surfing with Pop Pop was intentionally illustrated and designed to be engaging, tactile, and accessible for blind, low-vision, and Indigenous readers.

As the mother of two blind children, Tara was determined to create stories her own children, and others like them, could fully experience. The result is a multilingual, multi-sensory book that blends expressive artwork with tactile braille elements, inviting readers to explore beyond the printed page.

A QR code inside the book allows readers to listen to the story in Hawaiian or English, beautifully narrated by Tara’s blind daughter.

This deeply personal detail transforms reading into a shared, immersive experience that celebrates culture, accessibility, and storytelling across generations.

Aloha! MCRL Group is absolutely amazing people! They were so patient and friendly with me. I am new to the literary industry, and they were very helpful in helping me print my book. I created a Hawaiian language / English Language Braille book and they walked me through the process with the braille, with embossed pages, with the printing of the pages. I intend to continue working with them as we are developing more projects! Mahalo nui Jamie, Carol and the whole team there at MCRL!

– Tara Keanuenue Gumapac