Dr. JulieMcDonnellEdD
Educator, award-winning children’s book author, and certified life coach with 30+ years dedicated to helping children discover their inner light and build lasting emotional resilience.
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Educational Leadership
EME Certified Life Coach
Emotions, Mind, and Energy
30+ Years in Education
Teacher · District Administrator
Award-Winning Author
Mom’s Choice Award Gold
A Life Dedicated toChildren’s Wellbeing
Dr. Julie McDonnell has spent more than three decades in education — as a classroom teacher, district administrator, and instructional coach — with one constant thread: a deep belief that every child deserves to feel seen, valued, and capable of shining their own light.
Her journey into children’s literature grew naturally from her work as an Certified EME (Emotions, Mind, and Energy) Life Coach, trained under Mandy Morris, creator of Authentic Living. Through EME coaching, Julie discovered powerful tools for helping navigate difficult emotions, build self-worth, and develop the resilience to bounce back from life’s hard days.
The Bailey and Buttons Series was born from that intersection — stories that are as much about emotional healing as it is about the beautiful bond between a grandchild and grandmother. Julie’s first book, The Flowers in Grandma’s Garden, became an Amazon Best Seller and earned the Mom’s Choice Award Gold within months of publication.
Stories Rooted inEmotional Resilience
Emotions
Learning to feel, process, and move through difficult emotions rather than being stuck in them.
Mind
Developing a mindset that supports growth, self-compassion, and the courage to try again.
Energy
Understanding the energy we bring to our thoughts, feelings, and interactions with the world.
Trained Under Mandy Morris
Julie is a certified EME Life Coach trained under Mandy Morris, founder of Authentic Living and creator of the NBCC-accredited EME methodology (AuthenticLiving.com). Mandy’s transformative approach to emotions, mind, and energy forms the backbone of Julie’s coaching and storytelling. Every book Julie writes is designed to give children — and the adults who read with them — practical emotional tools wrapped in a heartwarming story.
A Path of Purpose
Classroom Teacher
Spent years in the classroom developing a deep understanding of how children learn, grow, and process their emotions.
District Administrator
Moved into educational leadership, guiding schools and mentoring teachers while championing social-emotional learning.
EME Life Coach
Certified under Mandy Morris in EME (Emotions, Mind, and Energy) coaching — bringing powerful tools for emotional resilience to children and families.
Published Author
Debuted with The Flowers in Grandma’s Garden, an award-winning children’s book that became an Amazon Best Seller upon launch.
Julie in the Community
Inspired by Nadia, Callan & Presley
Every story Julie writes begins with three little faces. Her grandchildren — Nadia, Callan, and Presley — are the heartbeat behind the Bailey & Buttons series. Watching them grow, navigate big feelings, and discover their own worth gave Julie both the inspiration and the urgency to write.
Bailey, the little girl at the center of every story, carries the spirit of those three kids. Her curiosity, her tender heart, her moments of self-doubt and triumph — they are drawn directly from the real children Julie loves most in the world.
“I wrote these books because I wanted Nadia, Callan, and Presley to always know they are enough — perfect just as they are. If even one child reads these pages and feels that truth in their bones, then every word was worth it.”
— Dr. Julie McDonnell
Award-Winning Work
Mom’s Choice Award
Gold — Highest Honor
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Readers’ Favorite
5-Star Review Award
2026 Readers’ Favorite
Gold Medal Winner
International Impact
Award Honoree
Goodnight Reads
All-Star Award
PR From the Heart
Top Empowering Reads 2025
Read moreBring Julie toYour School
Julie’s author visits are interactive, heartwarming experiences that combine storytelling with SEL activities rooted in EME principles. Perfect for K–5 classrooms, school assemblies, and library events.