Local Children’s Author Brings “Stripes” to The Book Nook

Lea Maryanow’s Debut Picture Book Shares the Story of Finding Personal Truth

VISALIA, CA AUGUST 4, 2023— When First Friday Art Walk returns to downtown Visalia this week, The Book Nook will play host to a first-time author from the Foothills of the Sequoia National Park. Lea Maryanow, a first-time author who emigrated to the United States from Germany in 2014, will share her newly published picture book, Stripes, with Art Walk visitors and passers-by.

Stripes shares the story of Zebra, who travels across the African savannah in search of answers to one very important question: “Am I a white zebra with black stripes, or a black zebra with white stripes?” Zebra meets with eight other animals who share their own unique personalities, and help Zebra to understand a deeper, more important truth that readers of all ages will appreciate.

“There are different truths out there, different perspectives, and they can all coexist. They’re all equally valid,” says Lea. “It was fun to think about the types of personalities that animals would have, and I think my book can be enjoyed by both children and adults. Picture books can be appropriate for people of all ages, so I hope local children are able to grow with this book and learn to explore their own personality types along the way.”

Maryanow—a mother of three herself— says she’s excited to bring her first book to The Book Nook and continue sharing it across schools throughout Central California. She says along with her children, her primary inspiration for Stripes comes from her explorations of the Enneagram of Personalities, a well-established model that explores nine interconnected personality types. Readers interested in learning more about Maryanow and her work can visit her Facebook and Instagram pages @leamaryanow or visit www.leamaryanow.com.

Stripes is available now at The Book Nook, which opened its doors in October 2022. Owned and operated as a division of Family HealthCare Network, The Book Nook serves as the newest addition to FHCN’s literacy initiative with the goal of increasing literacy rates throughout Visalia and the surrounding communities. Since opening its doors, The Book Nook has served as a platform for local artists and authors to introduce themselves to a larger audience and share their work with people of the surrounding community.

Event Details: First Friday Art Walk @ The Book Nook
Where: 114 W Main Street, Suite 102
When: Friday August 4th, 6:00-7:00pm