PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — A Calvert County author and Navy veteran is releasing a children’s book she hopes will help kids talk about the challenges they can’t always see — and she’s built a community celebration around it.
Keri Ann Lipperini will officially release “Zany Zita the Ballerina Zebra and the Magical Tutu Parade” on November 3, a date she chose deliberately: it’s the anniversary of her enlistment in the U.S. Navy. Ahead of that release, the community is invited to an early celebration at St. John Vianney Parish Hall in Prince Frederick at 1 p.m. on October 24, with story time, children’s activities, music, giveaways, a book signing, and a live performance from the North Beach School of Dance. Radio personalities TBone and Heather from 98.3 Star FM are set to cover the event, alongside other area businesses.
The 32-page picture book, aimed at children in kindergarten through early elementary school, follows Zany Zita, a zebra on an Italian horse farm whose body moves differently from those around her. As she navigates that difference, Zita faces challenges “many children can relate to, especially those that aren’t always visible,” according to the book’s release materials.
“I created Zany Zita because no child should feel alone in what they’re going through,” Lipperini said. “I wanted to create a joyful story that helps children feel seen and understood, while opening the door to meaningful conversations.”
The story draws directly on Lipperini’s own life. A mother, author, educator, and founder of Lipperini Community Outreach and Support, LLC, she has spoken publicly about living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a connective tissue disorder, and the book is built around themes of perseverance, resilience, empathy, and self-acceptance. The publisher describes it as suited for classrooms and counselors as well as families, meant to support social-emotional learning by opening conversations about differences and encouraging kids to feel proud of who they are.
The book is a family project. Illustrator Michael Lipperini, an Air Force veteran and Keri’s husband, created the artwork, while Southern Maryland-based designer KD Sexton helped bring the words and images together into the finished book.
“Zany Zita the Ballerina Zebra and the Magical Tutu Parade” is available for preorder now on Amazon and IngramSpark, with hardcover priced at $17.99 and paperback at $10.50, ahead of its November 3 release.
