Children’s Writer Lisa Van Drese Pens Book as Tribute to Son With Down syndrome

“Maxwell Goes to the Zoo” (Xulon Press, 2016) by Lisa Van Drese is a delightful and adorable story of a young boy, Maxwell, who wakes up one day to a great surprise: his mother is taking him to the zoo.
 
Illustrated by Sherry A. Mitcham, “Maxwell Goes to the Zoo” is a gift and a tribute to the author’s son, who is also named Maxwell, and to all the overachievers who happen to possess an extra chromosome. This children’s book is not only to be enjoyed by children but also by parents and educators who seek a creative tool for discussing Down syndrome.
 
When asked what prompted her to write a children’s book, she replied: “The book started out as just something fun to do for my kids. It was a gift for my children and it turned in to something unbelievable.”
 
“I was sitting one day with Max when he was six weeks old and I just thought that I should write him a story that he can relate to and that could be his own little story,” said the author who is also an ambassador for the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), an advocacy group for all individuals with Down syndrome. “I really like to spread the word that children need to be played with nonstop whether they have DS or not. Max has always exceeded our expectations.”
 
Though there have already been a lot of children’s books on the subject, the author places emphasis on individual uniqueness. “I like to focus on people with DS as being as unique as any one of us,” said the author when asked what made her book stand out from the others.
 
Lisa Van Drese’s “Maxwell Goes to the Zoo” will be displayed at the upcoming Frankfurt International Book Fair on October 11-15, 2017 in Frankfurt, Germany.
 
Copies of the book are available at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Maxwell-Goes-Zoo-Lisa-Drese/dp/1498478263 and Xulon Press http://www.xulonpress.com/bookstore/bookdetail.php?PB_ISBN=9781498478267&HC_ISBN=
 
 
Maxwell Goes to the Zoo
Written by Lisa Van Drese
Published by Xulon Press
Published date: August 25, 2016
Paperback price: $10.49
 
About the Author
 
Lisa lives in Gladstone, Michigan with her husband, Doug. They have two children, Andréa and Maxwell. Lisa is the author of the articles, “My Son Maxwell” and “The Things I Have Learned” and is wrapping up her informational guide titled, “Down syndrome: One Mother’s Truth.” She is a national advocate for all people with Down syndrome and stands firmly in the belief that every life has value.
 

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