Lucia Zarate ─ The Odyssey of the World's Smallest Woman

Lucia Zrate is based on the poignant, real-life odyssey of the world's smallest woman. Pretty and gregarious, Lucia Zrate was just twenty inches tall. A celebrity after her 'display' at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial International Exhibition, Lucia's extraordinary, heartbreaking story is one of exploitation by greedy sideshow hucksters and a fishbowl existence on the road, from New York to Victorian London. We follow the adventures of diminutive Lucia Zrate and her devoted governess as they grapple with life and death, finding joy and adventure in their bumpy sideshow journey of more than fourteen years. This is an artfully balanced novel that is a mesmerizing tale of survival, resilience, and the uplifting force of friendship.

Cecilia Velstegui received First Place from the International Latino Book Awards for her novels Missing in Machu Picchu (2013) and Traces of Bliss (2012). The Association of American Publishers and the Las Comadres International organization selected her novels to the National Latino Book Club. Parisian Promises (2014) was the runner-up for the Paris Book Award and Gathering the Indigo Maidens (2011) was a finalist for the Mariposa Award. Her childrens bilingual fables: Olinguito Speaks Up, Lalo Loves to Help, and Howl of the Mission Owl have received numerous awards.