PRINCE FREDERICK — A Calvert County Navy veteran has turned to picture books to reach children who feel different from their classmates.
Keri Ann Lipperini of Prince Frederick has released “Zany Zita the Ballerina Zebra and the Magical Tutu Parade,” a 32-page children’s book about a zebra whose body moves in ways that set her apart. The book is available in hardcover and paperback through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Books-A-Million and other retailers, with distribution through IngramSpark, according to a Nov. 3 news release from the author.
The story is written for children in kindergarten through the early elementary grades. Lipperini said she wanted it to open conversations at home and in classrooms about empathy, self-confidence and differences that are not always visible.
“I created Zany Zita because no child should feel alone in what they’re going through,” Lipperini said in the release. She said she wanted a joyful story that helps children feel seen and understood.
A zebra who moves her own way
In the book, Zita faces challenges many children will recognize. Through friendship, imagination and a magical tutu parade, she learns that courage, perseverance and accepting herself can turn her differences into strengths, the release says.
The author describes the book as a tool for social-emotional learning, the skills schools use to help children understand emotions, build relationships and handle setbacks. She also pitches it as a way to build self-esteem and resilience in young readers.
Lipperini said she drew on her own experiences and life challenges to write the story. The release does not say whether Zita’s experience is modeled on a specific condition or disability.
Service, then storytelling
Lipperini is a U.S. Navy veteran, educator and advocate, and the founder of Lipperini Community Outreach and Support LLC, which she says combines storytelling, education and outreach to help children and families feel heard and supported. Her husband, Michael Lipperini, is a U.S. Air Force veteran, and the release says the couple share a commitment to service and community. The release does not give the years or nature of her Navy service.
More information about Lipperini’s outreach work is on her organization’s website. The release did not announce any local readings or signings.
