Lori Orlinsky

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When Lori Orlinsky's daughter didn't want to go to school because she was the shortest kid in her class, Lori took action. She wrote "Being Small (Isn't So Bad After All)," a children's book with a strong anti-bullying message, to help her daughter as well as children across the country facing bullying. She attends storytime and book discussions at schools, hospitals, libraries and youth centers to spread the message of love and tolerance, and has also written for Brit+Co, Chicago Parent, Scary Mommy, Motherwell and Mommy Shorts about inclusion and self-empowerment for children.

Lori has been honored as a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (Illinois Chapter), Readers' Favorite Book Reviewer, and is a Gold Award Recipient of the 2019 Mom's Choice Awards in the children's book category for her book. She is also a member of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Educational Center to honor her grandparents, who survived the Holocaust.

AGE:
36

PRIMARY GIG:
Children’s book author

ON THE SIDE:
Director of Marketing at WTTW, Chicago’s PBS Station, regular contributor to "Chicago Parent" and a mom of 2

RELATIONSHIP STATUS:
Married

SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME:
I’m a lifetime member of the No Cavity Club. No, seriously. It is a thing. My picture is hanging up in my dentist’s office in my hometown.

A JEW WHO INSPIRES YOU:
My late grandma Dina, the most remarkable woman the world has ever known. Despite enduring and surviving the atrocities of the Holocaust and losing her entire family at the age of 18, she never had hate in her heart. She lived every day being thankful for what she had, and finding and celebrating the positive in everyone. My grandma passed away two days after my book was released. I was able to include a dedication page to her in second edition copies.