Stories Under the Koa Tree

Born and raised in Hawaiʻi, Ms. Rodrigues now resides in Colorado. As a child, she relished the island life, spending her long summer days at the beach, playing with her neighborhood friends, and exploring her garden.

As a teenager, she was captivated by the natural beauty of the island and began photographing scenic landscapes with a simple point-and-shoot camera, especially during her leisurely walks along the beach at sunset.

Her first attempt at formal writing came towards the end of her junior year in high school. Her English/Journalism teacher appointed her as the Editor-in-Chief of the school’s newspaper. Initially, she thought the teacher had made a mistake because her strongest subject was math, but she persevered and learned how much she enjoyed writing stories about her experiences See More...

Under The Koa Tree

Separated from her ʻohana (family) during a fierce Hawaiian storm, a young moʻo (gecko) named Hula is swept away by the winds and finds refuge beneath a sapling koa tree. From that moment on, her journey of survival and discovery begins.

Guided by courage and curiosity, Hula tags along with firefighters, rangers, professors, farmers, fishermen, and dancers across the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. With each new encounter, she learns to adapt, blending into brilliant colors, finding friendship in unexpected places, and gathering hope that one day she will be reunited with her family... See More...