Meet the Author
Collette Divitto was born in 1990 with Down syndrome. She grew up in Ridgefield, Connecticut, where she developed a passion for baking. After high school, Collette attended Clemson University and finished a three-year LIFE program in just two years. With a strong drive to work hard and succeed, Collette moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and founded Collettey’s Cookies.
Collette teaches classes on empowerment, leadership, self-awareness, career pathways, and entrepreneurship, and when she’s not at Collettey’s Cookies in Boston, you can find her traveling across the US, sharing her inspiring story and empowering those with labeled disabilities. Collette has been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, MSNBC, Inside Edition, BBC, and many other print and television media outlets around the world.
Details
Format: Paperback, Hardcover
Pages: 34
ISBN PB: 978-1-958754-76-4
ISBN HC: 978-1-958754-75-7
Release Date: 11/20/2023
Endorsements
“From a young age and throughout her life, Collette has been a champion for inclusion. The benefits of an inclusive educational setting are pervasive, positively impacting students and educators alike within and outside of the classroom. Decades later, Collette continues to advocate for acceptance and inclusion, sharing her story to ensure all students are included at school and within the greater community. Bravo, Collette!”
—Kristen Tenglin, Centers of Excellence director, Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress
“Collette Divitto is a true visionary. Collette’s personal and professional triumphs show differently abled children and young adults worldwide that anything is possible when you put your mind to it. Between building a national company, appearing on talk shows, and establishing her own nonprofit, Collette has proven herself to be not just an entrepreneurial force but a motivational leader and role model. Her latest book, Collette in Third Grade, a follow-up to Collette in Kindergarten, is more than an aspirational story for differently abled children, it’s a reminder that every person should have the opportunities, tools, and resources to pursue a successful and fulfilling life. This book belongs in every elementary school curriculum.”
—Nadya Rousseau, founder & CEO, Alter New Media
“Collette in Third Grade is a must read for not only families of children with learning differences but every parent and child, as it provides awareness about how we all have a responsibility to lift up the people around us and help others reach their potential. Having known Collette and her family since Collette was six years old, I have witnessed the commitment, perseverance, and resilience they have demonstrated while navigating her learning experiences. Collette continues to inspire those around her to reach for the stars no matter what challenges may be faced along the way. It is what has made her the successful entrepreneur she is today. I am in awe of her!”
—Laura McArthur, long-time friend
Meet the Illustrator
Lintang Pandu Pratiwi was born in Indonesia. She has worked for many years as a professional illustrator and created many picture books for various publishers and clients. Through her studio, Taranggana, Lintang has been published throughout America, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan. She loves art and nature and is inspired by the nostalgia of childhood innocence and beautiful countryside. Lintang’s parents, Widayati Sri Wulandari and Mudjab Widjaya, are her biggest inspirations in life. Having their everlasting and continuing support has provided her with good examples of how to live her life and be successful in her own way.
