Lynnette Velasco is blessed to travel a successful though at times bumpy career road as a writer. She is a political consultant, businesswoman and most importantly, poet and children's book author. She was honored by the PEN American Center as an emerging writer of color for her children's book, Zinzi: A Child's Journey to Self Fulfillment, Giving and Caring. Zinzi was chosen to become part of the distinguished children's book collection, the du Grummond Collection at the University of Southern Mississippi. She is also developing a self esteem enriching product line, "Good Thoughts for Young Folks," that will include bookmarks, journals, and greeting cards. She visits New York City public and charter schools and enjoys doing Author Read Aloud programs with students.
She holds a BA in English from Hampton University. Lynnette's theme is "Literacy for learning, for living, for life!"
Ms. Velasco belongs to the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, the New York Association of Black Journalists and Black Americans in Publishing. She is a contributor to the Essence Best Seller list book of essays to encourage literacy, Turn the Page and You Don t Stop: Sharing Successful Chapters in Our Lives With Children, edited by Patrick M. Oliver.
Zinzi is about an African American girl s family that moves from the busy streets of apartment living to a home in the quiet suburbs. As with all moves comes the task of making new friends. Zinzi being the friendly character that she is does not have problems making friends and befriends a little girl named Carmen who happens to be ill. Carmen s illness has left her unhappy and depressed, which is why Zinzi s mother is very supportive of her helping Carmen. Zinzi is also reminded that there was a time when she felt sad and grouchy . After that realization, what Zinzi does to help her friend is what all female friendship should be...to pick a girlfriend up when she is down. Ms. Velasco does an excellent job at stressing the importance of family history and values throughout the book. I especially enjoyed the child friendly recipes included at the back of the book. As we all know, helping a girlfriend deal with a problem is always better over a plate of food. Reviewed By: Alfreda Owens Black Butterfly Review --Alfreda Owens, Black Butterfly Review
Children who read this book will watch the young Zinzi become an African Princess right before their eyes, and are invited to eat a delicious array of her delicious yummy treats like Banana Milkshake, Orange Julius, Apple Sauce, Fruit Salad, Carrot Cake, Cream Chees Frosting, Cream Cheese Fudge, Pumpkin Bread, Homemade Peanut Butter, Zinzi Punch, Frozen Peach Cubes, Sweet Popcorn Mix, Zinzi Toast, Three Quick & Easy Dips and Baked Crisp Tortilla Chips, Banana- Strawberry Yogurt Smoothies and Breakfast Bread Puddings. When asked to reflect on why the need for Zinzi and why focus on the children s lliterature market that next to poetry is the most difficult selling market, and why self publish, Ms Velasco smiled and stated, Zinzi: A Child's Journey to Self Fulfillment, Giving and Caring , is somewhat of an autobiography and in large part based on the lessons instilled by my family." She continued stating that her parents exposed her to historical black cultural events stemming from their own knowledge because growing up there was very little history taught about black folks in school at the time she was making her way through the public school system in New York City. As for her decision to wholeheartedly embrace or tackle the children s literature market and self publish, she simply said, I love the world of children s literature, especially as it relates to people of color and embraces diversity and let s children know at the earliest stages of their development, that no matter what the challenge, positive possibilities are limitless. I believe there is a bit of Jonathan Livingston Seagull in all of us and we must let our children know that they must dare to dream and to fly. --Reviewed by Heather Covington, President of Disigold Review