Doris Settles

Doris Settles is interested in many things, but common threads through all her endeavors are communication, gardening, and history. Author of five books, Settles values clarity and validity in writing. Her newest book, a children’s picture book entitled Leira Clara’s Flowers (2022), tells the story of a young girl who learns gardening from her grandmother and shares her joy with her neighbors. Prohibition in Bardstown: Bourbon, Bootlegging & Saloons also comes from her childhood and a collaboration with former Bardstown mayor and friend, Dixie Hibbs. Settles spent countless hours inhaling sour mash on her grandmother’s front porch in downtown Bardstown. Settles lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband, Bill, where she can be found digging in her garden, reading from her every-growing stack of books, and, of course, writing.

Leira Clara’s Flowers

In Leira Clara’s Flowers, one little girl learns to love gardening from her grandmother, and shares that love of flowers with everyone she meets, including the neighborhood curmudgeon. This lyrical narrative is based on positive psychology and choice theory, essentially about making choices that cultivate kindness. Passing down a love of nature from generation to generation also embeds the idea that multi-age levels work well together. Those familiar with the well-loved classic Miss Rumphius will love the similarities. The book combines social-emotional learning skills with a love of nature. In today’s environmentally challenged and increasingly busy world, fewer and fewer children are spending time outdoors.

Leira Clara’s Flowers is delightfully illustrated in vibrant watercolors.