Gina Rae Mitchell

Zippy’s Special Gift by Therese Van Ryne | Review & Giveaway

A book blog tour from iRead Book Tours.

Thank you to the author, publisher, & Lauren at iRead for providing me the information for this tour. I received a copy of the book for the tour. The following review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

Zippy's Special Gift by Therese Van Ryne
Published by Mascot Books on 03/02/2021
Genres: Adventure, Children's, Educational, Fiction, Self-Esteem
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 38

Mom’s Choice Award®️Winner (Gold) and Recipient of Five-Star Readers’ Favorite Book Review

Zippy the Zebra doesn't like her stripes. She doesn't want to stand out!

Follow Zippy as she embarks upon a thrilling adventure with her animal friends that helps her realize everyone is perfect just the way they are.

Profits from the sales of Zippy's Special Gift will be donated to one of Zebra Technologies' strategic charitable partners, Bernies Book Bank, a non-profit organization that changes the story for under-served children and helps them read their way to a better life!

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Source: iRead Book Tours, Received from the author or publisher for review.

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Zippy's Special GiftShop on Amazon Hardcover Only

This book is also available on BookShop, Barnes & Noble, Mascot Books, and The Book Depository.

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My thoughts on Zippy’s Special Gift by Therese Van Ryne

Zippy’s Special Gift is a delightful story about self-acceptance and love.

Zippy is a young zebra that doesn’t like her stripes. Her wise mother explains stripes are Zippy’s special gift. She sends Zippy out to question friends about their unique gifts.

It turns out everyone has doubts about themselves, but our differences make each of us unique and special.

The words are easy to read and follow along with for early readers. I believe it’s never too young to start teaching tolerance of differences between people…and animals in this case.

Walter Policelli’s illustrations are bright, colorful, and exceptionally well-done.

Therese Van Ryne’s debut book is a “special gift” to the reading world. I hope to see many more tales of Zippy’s world.

I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

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Zippy’s Special Gift by Therese Van Ryne

Interview with Therese

How long have you been writing?

I have been writing since I was a young girl. I always enjoyed creative writing in elementary and high school, and I studied journalism when I attended Marquette University. Earlier in my career, I had the pleasure to work as a reporter and producer for a cable news network on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. When my husband and I moved back to my hometown in the Midwest to raise our family, I kicked off my career in Public Relations and continue to enjoy writing and editing as part of my role today as the lead of PR and Philanthropy for Zebra Technologies. 

What is the key message of your book? 

The key message of “Zippy’s Special Gift” is that we all have unique characteristics that make us different. We should consider these our special gifts! We have an opportunity to celebrate our differences every day and create a sense of belonging for those around us by recognizing what makes them unique too. This is a great message for people of all ages, especially young readers to help develop their self-confidence as they discover what makes them unique and special.

Who has influenced your love of writing? 

I still remember my second-grade teacher, Miss Donovan. She always encouraged me to write about interesting topics and found a way to give constructive criticism that helped me grow my skills. I still remember a poem I wrote for her when she was out ill one day: There’s only one time when your clock won’t tick. It’s when everyone misses you and when you are sick! 

Why did you decide to donate the profits from the sales of “Zippy’s Special Gift” to Bernie’s Book Bank?

I lead Public Relations and Philanthropy for Zebra Technologies, and one of our key strategic charitable partners is Bernie’s Book Bank. Our shared vision of promoting literacy for children of all ages and backgrounds helps make our world a better place. By connecting books with those who need them, Bernie’s Book Bank provides children the ability to learn about life through the characters. The organization is “changing the story” for children to help them read their way to a better life!

You mentioned your work for Zebra Technologies. What does Zebra Technologies do?

Zebra Technologies is a global company based in Lincolnshire, Illinois, and the company brings a performance edge to the front line of business in retail/eCommerce, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, healthcare, and the public sector. Zebra’s solutions elevate the shopping experience, track and manage inventory as well as improve supply chain efficiency and patient care. This year marks Zebra’s fifth year on Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers, and you can check us out at www.zebra.com.

What have you learned through the experience of publishing this book?

I have learned that there is an amazing network of writers, illustrators, publishers, promoters, reviewers, and bloggers who come together to celebrate books! They truly understand and encourage others to appreciate the value reading brings to the world as a tool to educate, entertain and even escape. I have an incredible amount of respect for those who work in this field and am excited to now be a part of it!

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Giveaway!

Win an autographed copy of ZIPPY’S SPECIAL GIFT by Therese Van Ryne (USA only) (1 winner) (ends Apr 16)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Visit more stops on the tour for extra chances to win!

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Purchase the book online from a local book store.

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I also share many of my reviews on the following websites:

• Lovely Audiobook’s Monthly Link-up (Not limited to audiobooks)
• The Inspire Me Monday Link Party
• Inspire Me Monday with Anita Ojeda
• Grammy’s Grid Unlimited Monthly Link Party
• Esme’s Salon Monthly Link-up