JUNE 8 • 2023 | 17

H

ow many people can trace the start 
of their professional dream life 
to fourth grade? Suzanne Jacobs 
Lipshaw of Waterford can. It was in fourth 
grade that she penned and submitted for 
publishing her first children’s book Boogie 
the Snail. The book was illustrated by 
Suzanne’s best friend and next-door neigh-
bor Karen (Shore) Wisialowski. The girls 
earned the first badge of any professional 
in their chosen fields, a thoughtful and 
encouraging rejection letter.
Lipshaw was born in Detroit and grew 
up in Oak Park and Southfield. By fourth 
grade at Leonhard Elementary, she loved 
reading and writing. Harriet the Spy, written 
and illustrated by Louise Fitzhugh, captured 
Lipshaw’s imagination and opened the 
doorway to the possibility of being a profes-
sional writer.
In elementary school, Lipshaw recalls 
being in awe of her now lifelong friend Jan 
(Goldstein) Frank. Lipshaw was amazed at 
the speed with which Frank would com-
plete books and return to the library for her 
next read. Seeing this motivated Lipshaw to 
build the skill of quick reading and reading 
more and more. To this day, both women 
are friends and love reading. The two, with 
their spouses, enjoyed the March 2023 
Motor City Mission to Israel.
At Southfield-Lathrup High School, 
Lipshaw served as co-editor of Dimensions, 
the student newspaper. Following gradua-
tion, Lipshaw was Michigan State bound. 
She knew, without hesitation, writing was 
her passion and looked for classes and pro-
grams of study that would lead to a profes-
sion centered around writing. 
She considered journalism but did not 
see herself as the pushy-type pursuing the 
story no matter what. She thought about 
focusing on communication or public rela-
tions. Ultimately, though, her choice mar-

ried writing with her second passion 
— the joy of working with children.
Lipshaw spent many summers as 
a camper and later staff member at 
Willoway Day Camp. “There is so 
much joy being with chil-
dren,
” Lipshaw shares. 
With that in mind, she 
applied to the Michigan 
State University Elementary 
Intern Program, which she 
began in her second year of 
undergrad. The program 
cohort consisted of just 30 
students who all shared 
a passion and drive to 
become elementary school 
educators.
After graduation from 
MSU, Lipshaw started 
working as a teacher. 
Initially, the opportunities 
available were to substitute. Soon though, 
she found herself working with special 
needs students and absolutely fell in love 
with this population. Lipshaw went on to 
earn a master’s in special needs education 
from Oakland University and then taught 
special needs students at Eton Academy 
in Birmingham, Baldwin Elementary in 
Rochester and Moraine Elementary in 
Northville. In 2021, Lipshaw retired from 
being a full-time educator.
It is no surprise that today Lipshaw is an 
award-winning, published author of engag-
ing and formative children’s literature. Her 
debut picture book, I Campaigned for Ice 
Cream: A Boy’s Quest for Ice Cream Trucks, 
is the true story of a 9-year-old boy who 
fought town hall to get the law banning ice 
cream trucks changed. This April, Mighty 
Mahi, Lipshaw’s second book, illustrated by 
Dorothy Shaw, celebrated its first year on 
the shelf. 

Mighty Mahi shares 
the true story of a green 
sea turtle’s journey from 
a near-death encounter 
with human debris to a 
two-year rehabilitation 
under the care of spe-
cialists made possible 
with the investment of 
ordinary people. 
Mighty Mahi goes beyond storytelling. It 
opens the reader’s curiosity and imagina-
tion to a life of engagement and possibility. 
Why just get sad or mad? Why not step 
up to the occasion and shape a better and 
brighter future? 
Lipshaw aspires to continue publishing 
books that engage and inspire readers. 
She has four children’s books ready for 
publication. She is currently working on her 
first middle-grade novel targeting third- to 
seventh-grade readers. Like all of Lipshaw’s 
earlier works, this book, too, will foster 
an appreciation for the natural world and 
expand on how each person can make an 
impact and be a kind and careful steward of 
our magnificent planet and universe. 

Order Mighty Mahi through your favorite independent 

bookstore. Learn more about Suzanne at 

www.suzannejacobslipshaw.com.

YEVGENIYA GAZMAN

Children’s book author shows that kids 
can make a difference.

‘Growing Young 
Minds’

YEVGENIYA GAZMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Suzanne 
Jacobs 
Lipshaw

