Finding Ziva the Great in Libraries

As an independent author, I celebrate the milestones everyone sees—a new book release, a storytime, or a book signing. But every once in a while, something happens that means just as much to me.

Recently, I looked up Ziva the Great in WorldCat to see if any new libraries had added it to their collections. I expected to find a few. But instead, I found libraries across the United States.

Seeing Ziva the Great in libraries throughout Texas, Alabama, New Mexico, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Illinois, New York, Idaho, Washington, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin made me smile. Some are individual libraries, while others are large library systems that serve entire communities.

As an author, that means everything to me.

When I write a story, I never know where it will end up. I hope children will enjoy it, ask to hear it again, and maybe even find a little of themselves in the pages. Knowing that Ziva the Great is waiting on library shelves for children and families to discover is something I'll never take for granted.

Libraries have always been important to me. As a child, I loved going to the library to find new stories, enjoy some old favorites, and feel the comfort of being surrounded by books. And now, the thought that a child I've never met might pull Ziva the Great from a shelf and discover Ziva's journey, just as I discovered so many wonderful stories when I was young, is something that makes me proud.

One of the things I love most about writing children's books is that you never really know where your stories will travel. This was a reminder that a story can begin at my desk in Texas and eventually find its way into libraries across the country.

If you'd like to see whether Ziva the Great is available near you, you can search for it through WorldCat, or look at your local library catalog. And if your library doesn't have it yet, you can always ask if they'd be willing to add it to their collection.

As an author, I sometimes feel alone in my world of words and stories. But its moments like this that remind me I am not alone. Children and families, I will never meet have a chance to discover my words and the beautiful illustrations that bring so many of my stories to life. Knowing that Ziva the Great is finding its way into libraries across the country gives me hope, and it reminds me why I write.