Now available!
Paperback ($24.94) Kindle ($10.00)
Published: Aug 08, 2016
Pages: 36
Binding: Perfect-bound Paperback
Dimensions (inches): 8.5 x 8.5
“Join a lovable group of children in a delightful romp through an explanation of diversity, understanding it better, encouraging them to be compassionate towards others, regardless of who they are.
Many kids today face bullying from their peers based on differences in race, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity.
In a world where bullying and intolerance of diversity is becoming increasingly a problem, it’s important to teach children – and adults – compassion for others.
This book was written to inspire kids (and the adults who read it with kids) who are bullied for being different without focusing too strongly on the bullying angle.
Christina Engela is an author and long-time human rights activist with experience in dealing with various types of bullying.”
Reviews:
“Author and activist Christina Engela’s ‘Other Kids are Kids Almost Just Like You’ is a small gem, a humorous, non-didactic children’s book that sings the joys of difference, whether it be race, sexual orientation or just the pride of individuality. With delightful illustrations by Amanda M. Lyons, ‘Other Kids’ teaches a gentle lesson about the serious issue of bullying.” – Alex S. Johnson, Author.
Background:
Let me start off by saying that I do not write stories for children. This was a fluke, a karmic train-smash, a collision of circumstances and contrasting feelings both fortuitous and cataclysmic… etcetera, and so forth.
That said, this story is special to me – mostly because of the message it presents to not only young minds, but also to the parents, teachers, adults and young adults (hopefully) who will read this story to the children in their lives – and the children themselves. It’s also because of the topics it addresses – bullying, intolerance, diversity and acceptance of each other as people.
This is what my editor said to me: “I’d put it in the 5 to 6 yr old range but that’s the age we need to teach kids to be kind so perfect!”
The overall idea is a positive ‘up’ theme and the book was written to inspire kids who are bullied for being different without focusing too strongly on the bullying concept or on harping on the transgender bullying angle – even though the concept for this story was suggested based on someone I know having a young pre-teen child experiencing a lot of the harassment and emotional trauma of growing up transgender.
The illustrator (Amanda M. Lyons) delivered a set of 20 beautiful images.
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My writing is NOT stereotypical, and my characters – regardless of their sexuality or gender – are anything but stereotypes! My lead characters are LGBT heroes and heroines – role model figures – the captains of star ships, bold explorers and adventurers, action heroes and people who change the world (or the galaxy)! Yes, I write LGBT characters into my stories, but I would like to emphasize (again) that my stories are not just “all about LGBT people” or intended to rub cisgender, straight reader’s noses in a rainbow flag and sprinkle glitter all over their cornflakes! 
New release: “
I’m very happy and proud to announce that I’ve been asked by my friend Alex S. Johnson (of Nocturnicorn) to edit this anthology !