Frequently Asked Questions

Surf Soup® is an award-winning children’s book series and hand-drawn animated universe created by Emmy-honored animator Donna Kay Lau. The stories follow Koa and his friends on vibrant ocean adventures that teach kids about kindness, friendship, grit, and environmental stewardship.

The Surf Soup® book collection and media are primarily designed for children aged 4 to 10 years old, making them perfect for early readers, picture book lovers, and family storytime.

Yes! Beyond entertainment, Surf Soup® integrates vital social-emotional learning (SEL) concepts like mindfulness, breathing exercises, and emotional resilience. The stories also naturally introduce lessons on ocean conservation, marine life, and caring for our planet.

Surf Soup® was created entirely by Donna Kay Lau, an Emmy-honored TV animator, author, and illustrator who has worked on hit shows for Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. As an independent artist and solo-preneur, Donna handles everything herself—from hand-drawing every character to writing every story and creating all the original music.

Yes! It is inspired by real surfing, ocean adventures, and outdoor fun. The stories capture the positive, joyful spirit of surf culture to teach kids valuable life lessons about friendship and trying your best.

Yes! The extensive collection of over 100 Surf Soup® children's books is available globally through major distribution networks. You can find them on Amazon (our primary retailer), as well as Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and Google Books. To welcome readers around the world, many Surf Soup® titles are also translated into Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, French, and German.

Yes! The Surf Soup® TV Soundtrack features over 175 original tracks and 6 core albums created by Donna Kay Lau. Blending tropical lullabies, upbeat island jams, and aloha spirit, the music brings the stories to life and is perfect for dancing, singing, and classroom fun.

Our full music library—including Surf Soup® TV Volumes 1–4, Asian Adventures, and the Dim Sum Singalong—is streaming right now on Bandcamp. You can also listen to music storybooks and catch a variety of tracks directly on our website.

Surf Soup® Buttons is an award-winning, Oscar-qualified animated short film created by Donna Kay Lau. Based on her beloved children's book of the same name, the film has been showcased at select international film festivals, bringing our hand-drawn world to life.

Yes, a full Surf Soup® TV cartoon series is currently in the making! Creator Donna Kay Lau is developing the pilot episode, an animation show Bible, and an initial six-pack of adventures tracking Koa—the kid with a TV on his head.

The Surf Soup® TV universe features an expansive world of over 55 original characters! Led by Koa—the adventurous kid with a TV on his head—the cast includes a vibrant mix of friends, ocean animals, and creatures like Eggoh. Each character is hand-drawn and designed to teach unique life lessons about diversity, environmental care, resilience, and teamwork.

Because Surf Soup® is a completely independent, solo-preneur studio with no big team behind it, every bit of community support goes directly into funding the books and animation! You can support Donna's work by purchasing her books, streaming her music, or backing her active Kickstarter campaigns. Schools and libraries can also book Donna for interactive author visits and animation workshops.