Speaking
Kathleen Pelley
Children’s Author, StoryTeller, and Speaker
Using her experience as a former elementary teacher in her native Scotland, and as a storyteller at an inner city school, Kathleen enjoys sharing her passion for stories with people of all ages and from varying backgrounds. Her presentations will inspire and encourage her audience to honor the stories from their own lives, to tap into their own creativity, and to discover how stories can make hearts bigger and better and kinder. Kathleen is a frequent speaker at schools, libraries, and parishes, as well as conferences, universities, and fundraisers. Some of her previous bookings include:
- Colorado Council International Reading Association (CCIRA)
- Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
- Catholic Women’s Conference
- Children’s Literature Classes at Regis University and Denver University (student teachers)
- Women’s College, DU (Writer’s Group)
- Children’s Hospital (Supporters and Benefactors)
- Denver Public Library (Reach Out and Read Volunteers)
- Douglas County Libraries (Keynote Speaker for Staff Development Day)
- Child Welfare League of America 2015 National Conference (Keynote Luncheon Speaker)
- Church Groups
Below is a sampling of her presentations. Contact Kathleen about tailoring presentations to suit your group’s needs.
Experience Kathleen Speaking

Children’s Programs
Adults’ Programs
In this presentation, Kathleen emphasizes the importance of nurturing a passion for stories in our little ones, explores the link between happiness and motherhood, and affirms her listeners as women who MOTHER the goodness in their children, in one another, and in the world.
Happy Mamas – An Ode to Mothers
Based on Kathleen’s most recent book, Happy Mamas
Similar to the general presentation above, Kathleen explores the link between happiness and motherhood, affirms her listeners as women of God who are called to be mirrors of grace and goodness and light by MOTHERING the holy in their children, in one another, and in the world.
Story as Prayer
Both Story and Prayer stem from a radical response to life. Both Story and Prayer involve a “long, loving look at the real.” Both Story and Prayer encourage us to see what Elizabeth Barrett Browning said, “All of earth is crammed with Heaven.” Both Story and Prayer feed our hearts and souls with wonder and awe, truth and beauty, grace and goodness, kindness and compassion.
Kathleen explores how sharing GOOD stories with children can deepen their love of the Lord and feed their souls with hope and joy. She invites her audience to see the links between GOOD stories and an active prayer life and thus discover how we can all be little “words of God, who will one day join together to spell out His glory.”
In His Footsteps
Based on The Sandal Artist – Winner of the Bock Book Award for fostering Franciscan Values
What better way to teach your children how to walk in Jesus’ sandals than with a story? In this presentation Kathleen invites her audience to explore how good stories can broaden our point of view, help us to walk a mile in another’s moccasins, see the world through another’s eyes, feel it with another’s heart, see the Christ in another, and thus find grace and beauty in unexpected places.
Visit Information
Equipment
All presentations are in PowerPoint (except for Kindergarten). Kathleen will bring a flash drive. She needs the school to provide:
- Laptop computer
- Screen
- Helper to have equipment set up 15 minutes before the assembly begins
- Guide to meet her and direct her to library/classroom
- Hands-free microphone (for large groups)
- Table—to lay out all her stuff
- Water
Autographing
Kathleen will be available to sign books before or after her visit.
Fees
Contact Kathleen for more information.
Group Size
You may make your group as small or large as you wish. Most children benefit from a group size that is not larger than 60. However, it depends on the individual school and Kathleen is very flexible and has given presentations to assemblies as large as 1,000.
Schedule a Visit