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Kathleen Marie Doyle is an award-winning writer and teacher committed to education, the environment, and democracy.

Books are available in Delaware at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge (Blue’s River), Bowers Beach Maritime Museum (Blue’s River), Browseabout Books, Dawn’s Books, Delaware Public Archives (Allies for Justice and Blues River), Delaware Shoppes, Delaware Museum of Nature and Science (Blue’s River), Hockessin Bookshelf, Huxley & Hiro, and Sand ‘N Stone.

Books are also available through IngramSpark, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.

Blue’s River

Delaware Press Association 2020 Second Place Award for the category of Books, Short Stories, Verse – Children’s books – Fiction

Reviews of Blue’s River

“I read a lot of books in my youth and how this book is written reminded me of some of my favorite book series I read as a girl. The book is engaging and informative in a way that is easy for young readers to understand. It is definitely the type of book that you don’t want to put down. At the end of every chapter, historical facts are included which I think is a nice touch. There’s a vocabulary section at the end which is helpful for the young readers who are unsure of terms used related to the water i.e. estuary, aquifer, watershed.  My favorite part of the book is at the end – there’s a “How you can protect and conserve water” section that provides some insight on what you can do at home to help the environment. I definitely recommend the book for young readers. I actually think it would be a great book used in classrooms for the students who are learning Delaware history.” Connor Lee Graham, Delaware Public Archives

Blue’s River truly is a fabulous story – such a wise way to tell the history of water and warn about today’s challenges! Lynn Edler, Teacher of English

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Blue’s River is a well crafted blending of three different stories with both social and environmental issues in play. Andie, a fifth grader, is learning about herself and the environment she lives in thanks to ‘Blue’. The author, a retired master teacher, included a section at the end of each chapter to offer deeper explanations to enrich the reading experience without slowing down the story and has illustrations throughout the book to spark one’s imagination. An excellent choice for reader’s of all age levels. Mike Sampere, Social Studies Teacher

Great book for 7+! A wonderful story with a lot of history and environmental information easy for kids to understand. Dennis Brennan.

I just finished reading it cover to cover, in one sitting. It is wonderful! The trip through history was informative and very easy to read. I laughed, smiled, and learned a lot. The Diving Deeper sections were a great idea. This would be important as part of a language arts/reading/science curriculum. This is such an important topic! Judy Martin, Executive Director of Bowers Beach Maritime Museum

“Blue’s River” was truly an edifying experience. I first got “the chills” when I realized these two totally different creatures were going to cross paths in a most unusual way. You touched numerous social, cultural and environmental facets of a most beautiful natural resource told through a mythical fact-finding journey through time. People should get this book, sit by any body of water and let their imagination “take flight.” Maria Teresa Emmons

During the early days of Covid, I was feeling quite a lot of anxiety (as I think we all were). I spent most of 2 days or so lying down on our sofa, and read your entire book cover to cover. It was wonderful and also very calming!! What great connections you made between your early teacher, very recognizable local Dover places, history and nature while also making it an appealing read for children (like the nervousness Andie felt about her upcoming presentation). Plus your ecological information is terrific. Susan Yost, PhD, Educator, Claude E. Phillips Herbarium, Delaware State University (retired)

Kathleen Marie Doyle has a particularly strong concept in Blue’s River… I genuinely thought this book to be stellar… I hope she will continue to educate on the issue [of watersheds]… Doyle has produced a wonderful story here, and I hope she’ll bring the same fire to the next book she sends us. Judge, 27th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards.

After an ancient blue heron sees a 4^th-grade girl fishing trash out of Dover’s Silver Lake, the heron takes her on a time-traveling journey each day to a different era of the history of the Saint Jones River (which – when dammed – creates Silver Lake), showing her how the river was once pristine, then degraded and altered by man, before modern humans started to realize the need to protect and restore it.  These journeys are set against the girl’s anxiety over giving a school presentation about what she wants to be when she grows up.  I may be biased because I specifically wanted to read and like this book in connection with my job, and also just because I have always loved herons, but I found this book to be pretty magical.  Regardless of its status as juvenile fiction, it succeeded in teaching me about the history of the Saint Jones and made me feel more connected to it, by putting it in the personal terms of the survival of Old Blue the Heron and his kin.  The history really was interesting and informative, and the history dovetailed nicely with the girl’s anxiety over her presentation, which in the end she made about her desire to help restore the Saint Jones, in a climax that was actually inspirational even to an adult like me.  The finishing touch of the girl waking up to find one of Blue’s feathers on her bedroom windowsill was a sweet ending to this very sweet book.  I wish I had read this book when I was a kid. Andrew Bell, Delaware Department of Natural Resources.

Allies for Justice: How Louis Redding and Collins Seitz Changed the Complexion of America’s Schools

Delaware Press Association 2023 First Place Award for Young Adult Non-Fiction

National Federation of Press Women 2023 First Place Award for Young Adult Non-Fiction Award

Reviews of Allies for Justice

I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your book. As a young African American attorney who opened my own firm right here in Dover, DE, your book has been a true inspiration to me – a genuine message of hope and change … I was free in 2008 to open a law practice in Dover because folks like Redding and Seitz took a stand and moved mountains so I would not have to climb them. I intend to do the same for the next generation. Karen Y. Vicks, Esquire

I am always reading 3-4 books at the same time, but sometimes there is a book I tap into that pushes all the other books to the side. Your book put two other worthy books on the back burner … For such a thin book, it was richly compressed with a lot of history … and I very much appreciate that your book is useful and accessible to youths and adults alike …[Y]our book is an outstanding contribution to our history resources in this state. Carlos Holmes, Director of News Services at Delaware State University

I bought “Allies for Justice” last night after a brief talk by the author. It is a compelling and important chapter in our history that is little-known. Doyle brings the two main legal pioneers to life in her re-telling of the struggle for educational integration of schools in Delaware in the early 1950’s. Her portraits of Louis Redding and Collins Seitz are clear and lucid captures of their lives. I had no idea that my home state was in the van of justice during the end of Jim Crow. Ms. Doyle provides a blow-by-blow account of how these two men of the law helped to enable that process. I read it at one sitting. I was surprised to be holding a page-turner on such a topic. Highly recommended for those with an interest in Delaware history and social justice. It is a marvelous introduction to the arc of racial progress in our country. K. Wiggins, author

“Allies for Justice” is well researched and well written with accessible language that can be enjoyed by readers of any age, not just young adults. Information is presented in an engaging manner, with excellent pace and cadence, and makes the book extremely reader friendly – much like a novel. The inclusion of photographs helps bring these two men vividly to life and confirms the author’s character descriptions. I delightedly read “Allies for Justice” in one sitting. Well done! Delaware Press Association Judge’s Commentary

A terrific retelling of the struggles of Louis Redding and Collins Seitz, a Black lawyer and a White judge whose work led to the desegregation of U.S. schools. The book is well researched, well written, and entertaining as well as informative. A perfect introduction for teenagers who want to know more about the Civil Rights movement. National Federation of Press Women Judge’s Commentary

For bulk prices, go to “For Teachers” page.

Finding Pop Pop

Delaware Press Association 2023 First Place Award for Children’s Book Fiction

National Federation of Press Women Award 2023 Second Place Award for Children’s Picture Books

This book is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on DelawareScene.com

Reviews of Finding Pop Pop

Loss is never an easy topic to deal with, and this book handles it in such a tactful, positive way. There is so much that I like about this story. First of all there are no lectures. Through experiential learning the boy and the reader are able to process and grow. This growth and experience will be on a different timetable for each. It is left to the reader to decide. Another aspect that makes this story such a success is the pace of the plot. It moves well and keeps the interest of the reader from the beginning to the end. The variety in the sentence structure is strong and moves the story. Furthermore, this pace helps the reader to deal with the strong emotions that come with this topic. The reader does not have to wallow in sorrow or discomfort for long. What a positive message. Living, loving, serving and leaving a legacy. Great work! Delaware Press Association Judge’s Commentary

Exemplary in theme, character appeal, voice, writing style, production quality and cover design. Reviewer for Writer’s Digest Competition

The book tackles the very difficult matter of death of a beloved grandparent from a grandson’s point of view. Detailing everything a younger child learns from his Pop Pop, it sets up the boy’s quest for Pop Pop’s spirit after the grandfather dies. The story shows the stages of loss and grief and mourning simply and eloquently, as a process. The garden is especially moving. In the end the boy’s understanding develops so that he realizes he has internalized his Pop Pop’s spirit and can take comfort from all of his precious memories. The story may lead to cathartic tears for those who have lost a beloved person. Reviewer for Writer’s Digest Competition

This was an endearing book about the love, loss and lessons learned between a grandchild and grandparent. Nicely done. National Federation of Women Press Judge’s Commentary

I loved your book. It was so true to the mark in explaining how children grieve and how important it is for adults to talk to their children about the loss of a family member. Having worked with children in bereavement for 13 years at Delaware Hospice I recognized how difficult it was to help parents to speak about loss to their children when they themselves were feeling a loss so acutely and how often children became the “forgotten grievers” in a family. Being at a loss for words, parents sometimes stopped talking about the deceased person. And children often do not have the vocabulary to express their grief since their understanding of death is so limited. We (and other social workers like myself) often used books, art therapy and play therapy to reach young children who were bereft and bewildered. Your book so beautifully expresses the idea of how the “spirit” of the deceased person continues to live on “in memory.” It is a powerful message for all of us – young and old. I plan to order several more copies of this book and send copies to Delaware Hospice to share with the counselors. They will be happy to use your books as another resource for children and parents of children. Ronnie Grady

Yesterday, I picked up “Finding Pop Pop” at the Biggs Museum Store with my 6 yr old grandson. We both laughed and cried!  Share this book now with loved ones in order to encourage the creation of beautiful memories. I never felt so close to my grandson, knowing that one day, I too, will leave him…and one of his memories will be the book “Finding Pop Pop.” Maria Teresa Emmons

For bulk prices, go to “For Teachers” page.

Finding Pop Pop is available in both paperback ($14) and hard cover ($25). To order hard cover copies, please contact the author directly (see “Contact” page).