About Me
I am Mary Jane McKittrick, a national award-winning children's author and the founder of Shady Pines™ Story Town, a multimedia online platform dedicated to promoting small-town kindness, empathy, and community resilience. Described as I Love Lucy meets Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, my stories blend humorous adventures with vital life lessons.
As a former TV news anchor, reporter, producer and corporate communications director, I channel my media background into crafting timely, highly engaging stories for young readers. I created the Boomer and Halley book series for ages 6–9, which is set in the small Southern town of Shady Pines. The series has earned the Mom's Choice Gold Award and the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award. My signature PAWSitive approach embeds four character-building themes into every storyline, complete with “Stop and Talk” discussion questions.
Mary Jane found her voice writing children's literature while living on a horse property outside a small Southern town in North Carolina. Born in Los Angeles, California, she still makes her home in the Tar Heel State.
“Creating character-building stories with laughter and warmth to inspire Kids to be Kind is at the heart of everything we build in Shady Pines Story Town.”
— Mary Jane McKittrick
The Boomer and Halley Books
National award-winning series
Mom's Choice Awards®Gold
Pinnacle BookAchievement Award
What sets the books apart
The PAWSitive Approach™
Little Lessons. Big Results.™
Mary Jane created the PAWSitive Approach, a unique framework that embeds vital character-building themes directly into each storyline. It is the heart of the award-winning series and a simple way to spark big conversations.
Built-in life lessons
Character-building themes woven right into every storyline
Conversation starters
“Stop and Talk” questions, marked with a signature paw print
Real-world application
Lessons kids carry home, to school and into their community
Fun and engaging
Humor and adventure first, so kids won't know they're learning
Boomer and Halley Scavenger HuntDiscover Rewards by Working with Others
A rainy day turns into a house-wide scavenger hunt, showing how characters work together, and mind their manners, to reach a shared goal.
PAWSitive themes
- Teamwork
- Manners
- Sportsmanship
- Cleaning Up
“Learning important life lessons through play. Genius!”
eBook ISBN 2940185227183
Boomer and Halley Lost and FoundLearning to Live in a Blended Family
Boomer and Halley adjust to life with Harold and Edna Sanders, their once-childless adoptive parents, in a newly blended family.
PAWSitive themes
- Kindness
- Obedience
- Respecting Property
- The Importance of Family
“A gentle and delightful way to introduce adoption and the blended family concept.”
eBook ISBN 2940185139530
Boomer and Halley Election DayA Town Votes for Civic Responsibility
A mayoral election in Shady Pines turns civic engagement and moral integrity into concepts young minds can take in.
PAWSitive themes
- Responsibility
- Community Involvement
- Honesty
- Working Together
“Refreshing to see a product that is ‘on topic’ without anger or violence.”
eBook ISBN 2940185557815
Reviews & Endorsements
Want more. I think that sums it up. The Scavenger Hunt was fun and lighthearted, but taught a lesson at the same time. The best part: kids won't know they are learning.
I recommend this book as a teaching tool to parents and hope that Ms. McKittrick will now turn her attention to writing one for adults.
The PAWS approach and the timely theme of this book are right on the mark. Where's the next one?
Beyond the Books
From Mary Jane's desk
The Kindness Connection Blog
Current Events, Stories & News
Nearly every week, our Blog brings Parents and Grandparents, Educators and Homeschoolers delightful stories from Shady Pines.
Often you find that what's going on in our town mirrors events happening in the “real world.” When it's something newsworthy, we turn to the crack team at The Shady Pines Gazette.
Mary Jane gives us a preview of what to expect in a video. In fact, we now have a YouTube Channel called Shady Pines Stories!
PAWS 4 Kids
Little Lessons. Big Results.™ · Stories with lasting value
Shady Pines has successfully evolved beyond a book series into a complete multimedia educational universe.
With the PAWS 4 Kids educational modules, the platform equips homeschoolers, classroom teachers, and parents with structured, field-tested tools to reinforce empathy, kindness, and social-emotional growth.
“This puts the fun into an interactive learning experience. Well done!”
What's inside every module
STEP 1
Little Lesson, Big Results
Storytime with “Stop & Talk” PAW-print questions
STEP 2
Practical Application
Activities to reinforce the character building concepts from the first module
STEP 3
Deep-Work Cool-Down
Find-the-Image, puzzles and coloring pages
STEP 4
Synthesis & Recognition
Write to Win and a Certificate of Achievement
What Makes Shady Pines Story Town Unique?
Most children's properties restrict their scope to a single setting, family, or neighborhood. Shady Pines breaks this mold by taking place in a vibrant, fully realized town.
Because the ecosystem includes human and animal characters spanning all ages, generations, and backgrounds, the storytelling potential is limitless.
This rich diversity gives the property an incredible demographic reach that appeals to a broad audience of children, parents, grandparents, and educators alike.
Welcome to Shady Pines. A whole town of stories, from Town Hall and Main Street to the Historic Story Town Rail Line and Swan Lake.
Story Angles & Interview Topics
The origin story
Small-Town Roots, Universal Values
Inspired while living on a horse farm outside a small Southern town, award-winning author Mary Jane McKittrick discovered a winning formula for children's media: celebrating a diverse cast of characters while championing the universal need for love, family, kindness and community.
The broadcaster's edge
Translating Real News into Kid-Friendly Cartoons
A former TV news anchor, reporter and producer, Mary Jane uses her journalist's eye to break down complex societal issues, like civic responsibility and blended families, into gentle, digestible concepts for young minds, blending the heart of Mister Rogers with the humor of I Love Lucy.
The signature approach
The PAWSitive Approach: Stop and Talk
Shady Pines Story Town features an interactive learning philosophy using paw-print markers in the books. These “Stop and Talk” prompts invite parents, teachers and kids to pause the story and spark meaningful discussions on core values like empathy, honesty and sportsmanship.
The educational & parental mission
A Safe Harbor for Values-Driven Media
Founder and author Mary Jane McKittrick created Shady Pines Story Town and the PAWS 4 Kids curriculum as a trusted sanctuary for parents, educators and homeschoolers seeking safe, screen-smart content rooted in lasting character and kindness.
Get in touch
Let's bring Shady Pines to your audience
For interview requests, review copies or media inquiries, reach out directly. Mary Jane welcomes the chance to share the Shady Pines Story Town world with your readers, listeners and viewers.
Mary Jane McKittrick
Follow along
Note to media
I invite you to explore the Shady Pines Story Town world, where every story is an invitation to kindness. For more information, review copies or to schedule an interview, please use the contact details above. Thank you for joining me on this literary journey.
