Greg McKinley

Greg L. McKinley is the author of the Guardians of the Shore series an adventure-driven children's book series that brings coastal wildlife and conservation to life through the eyes of a curious, courageous young girl named Bree.

Born from real moments of wonder shared between a grandfather and his granddaughter along the sun-warmed shores of Amelia Island, Florida, the series captures something rare in children's literature the feeling that nature is not just something to observe, but something to protect, celebrate, and fall deeply in love with.

Greg and his granddaughter Bree spent countless summer days together walking the beach discovering horseshoe crabs half-buried in the sand, watching leatherback turtle hatchlings make their brave journey to the sea, tracking ghost crabs by flashlight after dark, and marveling at shorebirds dancing along the tide line. Every question Bree asked. Every shell she picked up. Every creature they stopped to watch together. All of it found its way into these pages.

Through his writing, Greg hopes to give every young reader what those beach walks gave his granddaughter a sense of wonder about the natural world, the confidence to ask questions, and the understanding that even one child can make a real difference for the creatures and coastlines that need protecting.

His debut book Bree's Beachside Quest introduces readers to five remarkable coastal adventures, featuring real animals including endangered leatherback sea turtles, gopher tortoises, horseshoe crabs, shorebirds, and ghost crabs all woven into an imaginative story that feels like an adventure from the very first page.

Beautifully illustrated by Jinsey A. Smith and grounded in accurate natural history, the Guardians of the Shore series is beloved by young readers, parents, educators, librarians, and anyone who has ever stood at the water's edge and felt the magic of the ocean.

Greg is a lifelong ocean lover, beachcomber, and community volunteer who lives in Fernandina Beach, Florida just steps from the beaches that inspired every chapter of Bree's story. He is currently working on the next book in the series, and new adventures for Bree and her coastal friends are already on the horizon.