Shady Pines Story Town’s National Award-winning Boomer and Halley book series, Ages 6-9
The Boomer and Halley book series, created by Mary Jane McKittrick and illustrated by Bob Ostrom, is the foundational heart of Shady Pines Story Town. The multi-media platform harkens back to a gentler time and the character-driven spirit of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
The book series and website have been recognized for their focus on character building and social-emotional learning, earning prestigious honors:
Mom’s Choice Gold Award: For excellence in family-friendly media.
Pinnacle Book Achievement Award: Recognizing the quality of the storytelling and its impact on young readers.
Boomer and Halley
The stories follow the adventures of two adopted “four-legged children.”
Boomerang (Boomer): An energetic and loyal Australian Shepherd dog.
Halley’s Comet (Halley): A “silver streak” of a cat who is feisty and independent.
The Parents: Harold and Edna Sanders, a couple who never had children but find themselves becoming “instant parents” after adopting these two very different critters.
Each book includes 4 embedded life lessons which appear on the page with a PAW print. Each book is designed as an interactive teaching tool. The series uses what the author calls the PAWSitive Approach.
Printable Bookmarks
A bookmark with prompting questions allows an adult reading with a young child to Pause and ask a Question to know if the child understands Manners, Sportsmanship, Respecting Property, Honesty, and so on. When reinforced over time, this approach can lead to better behaved kids. Little Lessons. Big Results.™
Below are sample pages from Boomer and Halley: Scavenger Hunt showing the PAW print for Sportsmanship, highlighting a good spot to “paws” and find out whether your young reader understands this important concept.
Boomer and Halley Scavenger Hunt, Discover Rewards by Working with Others
It’s a rainy day in the small Southern town of Shady Pines. What do you do with a couple of bored, four-legged kids? Boomer and Halley’s parents, Harold and Edna Sanders, decide to stage a scavenger hunt. Will they work together to get the best possible outcome? What could go wrong?
The results are hilarious, filled with touching moments and plenty of life lessons learned. Come along and join in the fun!
Boomer and Halley Lost and Found, Learning to Live in a Blended Family
Boomerang, an Australian Shepherd dog, and Halley’s Comet, a silver streak of a cat, come from different parts of the country. But they wind up stranded in Shady Pines. Lucky for them, Harold and Edna Sanders adopt them and bring them to their quiet home on Dogwood Drive across from Copy Cat Lane.
See what happens next with this new, “blended,” family of four!
Boomer and Halley Election Day, A Town Votes for Civic Responsibility
Red, white, and blue streamers and confetti can only mean one thing – an election is taking place. Who will run for the Common Sense Party against the mayor’s Gimme Party? You wouldn’t believe it if we told you.
Boomer and Halley elect to get involved and Harold and Edna have some banner ideas of their own. Find out what happens when honesty and responsibility are up for debate!
What People Are Saying About the Boomer and Halley Books
“I love the way the dog and cat (Boomer and Halley) figure out some of the lessons I’m trying to teach my kids while they’re having fun. Cleaning up messes is a really good one.” – Sarah, mother of two daughter, ages 6 and 8
“Showing kids how to be more civil through storytelling. This is great. We have a 5-yr-old and a 7-yr-old. We REALLY need this.” – Robert and Mary, parents
“Thank goodness for the town of Shady Pines! These stories empower parents to talk about tough subjects in a very kid-friendly way. It’s refreshing to see a project that is “on topic” without anger or violence. I can’t think of another site like it.” – Robert, father of four
“What a wonderful way to underscore the importance of simple, yet vital, life lessons.” – Alice, elementary school teacher
“I really like the way this site places an emphasis on family and community. The stories are so much fun, but there really is important messaging going on here. Keep it up!” – Mary Ellen, grandmother of three
“I like Boomer, the dog. Halley is cute.” – Kelly, age 5
“I want a dog like Boomer.” – Treavor, age 5
“Halley is smart. And sweet.” – Dana, age 8
“Can I meet the dog and cat?” – Samuel, age 6
“Harold and Edna love each other, you can tell. – Anky, age 6
“Boomer and Halley are like me and my sister.” – Clara, age 9
More To Do While Visiting Shady Pines Story Town
Explore the Kindness Connection Blog with family friendly weekly stories,
meet the neighbors of Shady Pines, discover fun facts about
the town, and get the latest news from the Shady Pines Gazette’s crack news team: Editor, Zulah Talmadge and Scoop, the Cub Reporter.