Guest Post: Therese Van Ryne, Author of Zippy’s Special Gift

I’m very pleased to welcome Therese Van Ryne, author of the new children’s book Zippy’s Special Gift. She will discuss her inspiration behind the writing of the book. Be sure to stick around to win an autographed copy for yourself!

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Zippy’s Special Gift by Therese Van Ryne
Category:  Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7),  38 pages
Genre:  Children’s Picture Book
Publisher:  Mascot Books
Release date:   Mar, 2021
Content Rating:  G for everyone.

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! Learn more at www.berniesbookbank.org.

Buy the Book
Amazon ~ B&N
Mascot Books
add to goodreads

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Zippy’s Special Gift is a sweet story with a special message. With a simple cadence this is a perfect book to read out loud to the youngest of readers. I look forward to sharing it with my Girl Scout troop very soon!

I give this book 4 Sips

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Zippy’s Special Gift is Van Ryne’s debut children’s book. She currently serves as the Global Director of PR, Thought Leadership and Advocacy for Zebra Technologies. One of PR News’ 2019 Top Women in PR, Van Ryne also has experience as a journalist, editor and producer, reporting nightly from Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

connect with the author: instagram ~ facebook ~ goodreads

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Guest Post by Therese Van Ryne: The Inspiration for “Zippy’s Special Gift”

Writing a children’s book has always been on the top of my lifelong bucket list. I was inspired to sit down and put my fingertips to my keyboard last April on a rainy Saturday afternoon. We were about a month into the shutdown caused by the pandemic, and I was looking for a creative outlet. As the lead of Public Relations and Philanthropy for Zebra Technologies, I am also inspired by our company mascot, Zippy the Zebra so it was natural to make her the lead character of “Zippy’s Special Gift.”

Years ago, Zippy came to life as an adorable miniature stuffed animal that many employees enjoy displaying on their desks at work and in their homes. We have even had employees take Zippy with them on different trips to various parts of the world, and we enjoy sharing photos displaying Zippy’s adventures. Showcasing her in this book has been another amazing adventure!

In this story, Zippy the Zebra realizes she has unique qualities that are different from her friends, and they each have individual traits too – special gifts, if you will. I have already had parents reach out to me to share that after reading the book with their children, they have had conversations about what special gifts they each possess. I’m thrilled with this outcome and hope to have many more families connect in this way after reading “Zippy’s Special Gift” together.

Another inspirational driver of this book is my belief in “doing well by doing good.” Philanthropy is an important part of the workplace culture at 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. I’m thrilled that all the proceeds from the sales of “Zippy’s Special Gift” are being donated to Bernie’s Book Bank.

Blogger’s note: For over 50 years, Zebra Technologies has helped people around the world with solutions to keep them connected and make better business decisions. Our mascot, Zippy represents our diverse culture and the fun we like to have at work. In “Zippy’s Special Gift,” Zippy introduces us to her connections – her best animal friends who help her make an important decision about herself. Check us out at www.zebra.com.

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Giveaway!!

Autographed copy of ZIPPY’S SPECIAL GIFT
(USA only) (1 winner) (ends Apr 16)

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