Doris Diaries: The First Year Without Harold

Created especially with older readers in mind, Doris Diaries: The First Year Without Harold is a warmly illustrated story that can be enjoyed in one comfortable sitting. Beautiful watercolor illustrations bring Doris’s world to life as she faces experiences many of us encounter as we grow older—from adjusting to life after losing her husband, Harold and navigating changing technology to protecting our independence, accepting help, and staying connected to the people around us. Through it all, Doris reminds us that growing older doesn’t mean becoming invisible. Your voices still matter, your stories still matter, and friendship, purpose, laughter, and new possibilities can be found at every age.

Meet Doris

Meet Doris Kaminski. At seventy-eight, Doris is learning how to build a life she never expected to face without Harold, her husband of many years. She’s independent, practical, sometimes stubborn, and not particularly interested in being told what she can or can’t do because of her age. With her faithful beagle, Biscuit, beside her, Doris faces the ordinary—and sometimes not-so-ordinary—challenges of growing older while discovering that accepting a little help doesn’t have to mean giving up who she is.