Kitty Brown and Kirsten Parkinson developed the Reo Pepi books out of a desire to produce really simple, user friendly bi-lingual board books in te reo Maori for Maori and Pakeha whanau alike. Their passion for Reo Pepi grew from their own whanau. They are cousins through their taua (Ivy and Mere Karaitiana) and grew up close in a tino ataahua extended whanau. After education, travelling, living overseas, careers and having children, they both returned to their rohe, living in the same little village, Portobello on the Otago Peninsula.