My Story
Lori Kothe is a design leader, entrepreneur, and author who creates purpose-driven stories to inspire and move people.
In 2020, Lori published her first picture book, “Oh Poo! A Cautionary Tale,” and founded Poogooder, a grassroots movement to help end wayward dog poo for a happier, healthier community and planet. In 2025, Lori published “Birds Near My Home in the City by the Sea,” a picture book that celebrates the unique personalities, sounds, and endearing qualities of nine wild bird species in Seattle through fun rhyming poems, local trivia, facts, and illustrations. Lori’s Kocreate design and branding projects with Puget Sound Starts Here, King County, and others have sparked social and environmental reflection, action, and positive change. Lori has called Seattle home since 1996 and lives with her family near Alki Beach in West Seattle where eagles and seagulls, owls, herons, and jays, falcons, crows, hummers, and geese go their ways. Learn more at kocreate.com, poogooder.com, and kocreatebooks.com.
Social links
Praise for Birds Near My Home…
“The only thing that could make this book better is if it were written when my kids were still young! ”
“Lori's clever poetry is not only appealing to young ears, but to both grown-ups and kids alike. If you have lived in the Seattle area for any length of time you have most likely had some type of interaction with each of the featured species, whether you fed it peanuts or it stole your french fries. They are our familiar feathered friends and kids will love that they also know these birds well and can imitate their sounds/calls with the pneumonic devices on each page. In addition to fun facts about each bird species, Lori provides links to ‘birdy’ organizations so you can learn more! The only thing that could make this book better is if it were written when my kids were still young! ”
— Robin Lutton, Environmental Educator
Environmental Science Center at Seahurst Park
“Here’s what [the students] liked about it: The bird sounds, the variety of birds, and the fun facts section.”
“I was given a copy of your book to read to my ½ class at Genesee Hill. We loved it! Here is what they said they liked about it: the bird sounds, the variety of birds, and the fun facts sections. They had a lot of connections to each bird and each page and we learned a lot. Thank you so much for writing this – I’m glad it made it to my classroom.”
— Erin Munavu (moo-nah-voo), 2nd grade teacher
Genesee Hill Elementary School – West Seattle
Love the book, too? Please contact me to submit your review or to request a copy to preview.
Press kit
Click on an image to download the high-res version.
Headshots
Lori Kothe, author/illustrator
Click on an image to download the high-res version.
Birds Near My Home in the City by the Sea is a quirky picture book for all ages that celebrates the unique personalities, sounds, and endearing qualities of nine wild bird species that call Seattle home and how we can raise a voice to save their sounds we love. Written and illustrated by Lori Kothe. Published by Kocreate Books, Jan 2025.
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-7352102-4-7
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-7352102-5-4
Picture Book Images
Birds Near My Home in the City by the Sea
Through fun rhyming poems, local facts, and illustrations, Birds Near My Home in the City by the Sea is a quirky picture book for all ages that celebrates the unique personalities, sounds, and endearing qualities of nine wild bird species that call Seattle home. Inspired by the joy that birds as diverse as bald eagles, seagulls, and hummingbirds can be observed from her West Seattle backyard – and motivated to protect their habitat and coexistence in an increasingly urban landscape – author and illustrator Lori Kothe has created a new way to appreciate our wild bird neighbors and raise a voice to save their sounds we love.
This book is a perfect gift for bird lovers, nature lovers, art lovers, science educators, story time, Backyard Bird Count and nature events, learning about environmental conservation and urban wildlife, and enjoying the personalities and stories of commonly observed birds in the Pacific Northwest and other coastal cities. Birds featured in the book include Bald Eagle, Glaucous-Winged Gull, Great Horned Owl, Great Blue Heron, Steller's Jay, Peregrine Falcon, Crow, Anna's Hummingbird, and Canada Goose.
Each bird page includes a fun rhyming poem about the bird, amazing trivia and facts, and a resource link to explore and learn more, including wa.audubon.org, eopugetsound.org, paws.org, heronhelpers.org, sarveywildlife.org, allaboutbirds.org, urbanraptorconservancy.org, uwb.edu/visitors/crows, and birdsconnectsea.org. A wildlife habitat at home checklist encourages us all to help make a better home for wild birds where we live. It's sure to become a family favorite and bring a smile as readers discover their bird neighbors through a lens of humor and newfound understanding.
Author/Illustrator: Lori Kothe
Publisher: Kocreate Books
Date: January 2025
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-7352102-4-7
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-7352102-5-4
Picture Book Descriptions
Birds Near My Home in the City by the Sea