Local Author Says Love of Books Sustained Her

Books in Auckerman’s ‘Loretta Owl’ series explore kindness, friendship

By Vickie Babyak
The Tube City Almanac
January 05, 2026
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

Brooke Auckerman has turned her lifelong love of reading into a series of inspirational books for children. (Vickie Babyak photo for Tube City Almanac)

Growing up in McKeesport, Brooke Auckerman remembers being relentlessly bullied in grade school and high school. The non-stop teasing, she said, was traumatic for her.

“I get anxiety attacks from the type of bullying I endured,” Auckerman said.

In 2023, Auckerman — who still lives in the city — gave voice to her experiences through her first book for children, “Be Kind, Loretta Owl.” She said she wanted to help children realize the importance of kindness and to understand their feelings about friendship.

There are now five books in the series. The newest is a coloring book.

Raised by her grandparents, Auckerman recalls developing a love of reading at an early age, and how it served as an escape from despair in her life. Her family said she was different from other kids and always preferred books over toys.

Auckerman, who is neurodivergent, was diagnosed with autism at age two after her grandmother noticed she seemed to behind on her developmental milestones.

At five years old, Auckerman started writing her own stories and creating books with folded construction paper, then stapling them together.

She said her inspiration to write books came from her grandmother, Loretta, who taught her how to read, pause at the periods, and corrected run-on sentences when she wrote narratives. With her grandmother’s guidance, the first book she learned how to read was “Alice in Wonderland.”

“My grandmother was very inspirational to me,” Auckerman said.

The character of Loretta Owl was created in honor of her grandma who collected owl trinkets from dollar stores. She still cherishes a tiny owl tea set her grandmother purchased for her when she was a child.

“I wanted to honor my grandma by creating a main character from something she loved and naming the main character after her,” Auckerman said.

Since her first book was self-published, Auckerman has written four additional books, including “Loretta Owl’s Big Christmas Wish,” “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” and “Loretta Owl and the Great Homework Heist.”

Auckerman’s books are available in print and e-reader format from Amazon.

Each story in the series has important lessons for children about kindness, friendship, celebrating unique learning styles, and how to address safety.

Recently, she added the “Loretta Owl and Friends Coloring Book” to her collection of stories. The books are available in Kindle and printed versions from Amazon.

Auckerman said after doing research, she asked the printer to incorporate wider than usual borders on the coloring book pages, because kids with ADHD and other developmental disabilities find it easier to focus, and it makes coloring feel less daunting.

As a young woman on the autism spectrum, she has words of encouragement for children diagnosed with different types of disabilities.

“Even if you’re a little different, it doesn’t mean you can’t follow your dreams,” Auckerman said.

In recent years, Auckerman has grown in local recognition. In August she was invited to read her books at the McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center, and during McKeesport’s Festival of Trees in December, the AIU McKeesport Family Center’s theme for their Christmas tree was based on her book “Loretta Owl’s Big Christmas Wish.”

Outside of McKeesport, Auckerman said she was invited to do a book reading and presentation on how to become a writer for the students at University Park Elementary School in Monroeville and at South Allegheny’s World Literacy Night.

One of the most exciting events for her was traveling last November to Nora Roberts’ Turn The Page Bookstore in Boonsboro, Md., owned and operated by the husband of the bestselling author of more than 200 books.

She said it was an honor that the bookstore sells two of her books, “Be Kind, Loretta Owl” and “Loretta Owl’s Big Christmas Wish.”

Auckerman said she marvels that “Nora Roberts is one of my favorite authors and she has my books in her store.”

Vickie Babyak is a photographer and freelance writer from Dravosburg. She may be reached at vbabyak@yahoo.com.

Originally published January 05, 2026.

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