David Del Rocco, who recently retired from teaching at Punahou School, has released a series of three books featuring notable people of Hawaiʻi, written for keiki in kindergarten through fourth grade.
The books celebrate the lives of Patsy Mink, a Maui-born politician who was the principal author of Title IX; Mary Kawena Pukui, a Hawaiian scholar and cultural advocate; and Eddie Aikau, a big wave surfer and the first city lifeguard of Waimea Bay.
“There's three so far,” he told Aloha State Daily. “It's a series, and there's a fourth one that's probably going to come out next year.”
Del Rocco will be signing books and doing a meet-and-greet with keiki at Lutheran Church of Honolulu at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 28. Books will be available for purchase on site for $10. Light refreshments are also available.
The latest book, which features Aikau, was released in May. Ones about Mink and Pukui published last year. The fourth book will feature Edith Kenao Kanakaʻole.
“For years, I've been working with a publisher on and off as a Hawaiian language translator for children's books,” he said. “She's known me for years. Out of the blue, I got an email saying: ʻHow would you like to write children's biographies about notable people from Hawaiʻi?’ ”
The Wayfinders series focuses on "biographies celebrating Hawai‘i’s leaders — women and men who have helped shape the islands as we know them today," according to BeachHouse Publishing, which produced the books.
To create the books, Del Rocco reached out to each person’s family and contacted the foundations that continue their work.
“It is so exciting to have these three books finished and in the hands of our youngest readers,” he said. “I am also excited about the upcoming signing event because the book series will get more publicity, as will the church itself.”
Del Rocco is originally from New Jersey. He received a bachelor's degree in Spanish from Rutgers University. He later attended the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Hawaiian language plus a master’s degree in library and information science.
Illustrations for the books are by Oʻahu-based illustrator Storm Kano.
In addition to the upcoming meet-and-greet event, Del Rocco will be a storyteller at several public libraries this summer. At each event, he will share folktales from around the world — including Hawaiʻi — with keiki. The first event takes place at 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, June 17, at the Kalihi-Palama Public Library. He will also be the featured storyteller at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 12, at the Kailua-Kona Public Library on Hawaiʻi Island, and 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 31, at Center Stage in Windward Mall while the Kāneʻohe Public Library undergoes renovations.
Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
