Lisa Fipps

Fipps considers themes of body positivity and self-worth through her narrative works, employing her skills as a journalist and her personal experiences to craft stories with emotional depth and resonance. Her middle-grade book, "Starfish", stands as a testament to this, depicting the journey of a young girl who learns to overcome societal bullying and embrace self-acceptance. This narrative method allows readers to engage with challenging topics like body shaming and resilience, framed in a novel-in-verse format that combines lyrical expression with accessibility for younger audiences.\n\nThrough her writing, Fipps highlights how personal adversities can be transformed into powerful messages of hope and empowerment. Her unique approach benefits middle-grade readers by providing relatable characters who face and overcome real-world issues, thus fostering empathy and understanding. By focusing on childhood trauma and resilience, she creates a space where young readers can explore complex emotions and learn to value themselves beyond societal expectations. \n\nFipps's career trajectory from a seasoned journalist to a celebrated author has also seen her recognized for her contributions outside of writing, such as her role in marketing for the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library in Indiana, where she earned the Sara Laughlin Marketing Award. Her achievements, including the 2022 Printz Honor for "Starfish", underscore her impact not only in literature but also in her broader professional endeavors.