Retired Teacher Becomes An Author With The Start Of Her New Children’s Book Series

For Tina Schipfer, in her life as a teacher and mother, telling stories and modelling writing for her Boyette Springs Elementary School students for 18 years, and for her children before that, a dream was born: to share stories of her own with more children.

Schipfer, who lives on the Alafia River, found inspiration from a dolphin she named Filly that visits her daily, a horse that belongs to her mom and other animals in her life, and she incorporated all her training and experience with what children enjoy most in books. A bout with breast cancer, which she survived, helped her focus on fulfilling her dream. And after brewing it for 10 years, the dream came true this past August: She released her first children’s book, Filly Finds Her Way.

In this book, illustrated by K.S. Barrett, Schipfer’s bonus daughter, Filly the dolphin is born in Tampa Bay and then begins exploring with her Mama and her Titi (aunt) Lee. They come across a horse on the bank of the Alafia River, and a lasting friendship is formed. The horse’s name is JP, and the book ends with Filly and Tipper (another baby dolphin Filly meets) wanting to know what JP means.

But that’s a story saved for another day — or rather, another book, as Filly Finds Her Way is the first of a four-part series following the adventures of Filly and her friends, all inspired by real scenarios, events and places in Florida and Schipfer’s life.

“The first book, Filly Finds Her Way, focuses on Filly’s birth and her self-discovery,” said Schipfer. “The second book, Filly and the Alafia River Holiday, brings us into JP’s world. We discover his background and what JP stands for. In the third book, Filly and the Storms, Filly embarks on a daring rescue. Filly and the Gasparilla Parade is the fourth book, and it is very exciting with beautiful photographs and another animal rescue.”

The books are interactive and educational too, as each includes a fish-finding page, a comprehension check and ‘Filly’s Fact Files,’ nonfiction facts about the animals and history of the Alafia River and Tampa Bay.

“These books will help teach about the joy of family, friends and being a helper to those in need,” said Schipfer.

The next three books of the series will be released throughout 2025 and 2026. For more information, visit https://fillythedolphin.com/. To purchase Filly Finds Her Way, visit www.amazon.com/dp/b0fmzr3ykj.