'This is who I am and I'm fine with that': Kids' book featuring heroine with autism celebrates self-acceptance

At school, Adam Schwartz was bullied for having autism and never felt included.

In his new children's book, his heroine lives with autism too and she ends up saving the day.

The Winnipeggersays he wrote Ana and the Substitute Teacher to show kids why it's OK to be different, and that it's important to include people with differences.

When he was in school, Schwartz said that wasn't the case.

"I always wanted to belong, and I pretty much did everything to try to belong, but I never did belong. And I was unable to accept being different and unique in my own way," he said.

"Which was really a detriment, and I would have had a better life if I could have been, like, 'This is Adam,' instead of always trying to fit in."

So he decided to create a character who finds the positives in having autism.

"Even though[Ana] doesn't fit in, she's OK with that," he said.

In the book, the main character's class gets a substitute teacher who has evil superpowers and takes her teachers and classmates prisoner.

But because Ana has a hard time making eye contact, she's immune to the substitute's influenceand ends up saving the day.

"The book is about autism, but it's more about inclusion and our need to be accepted, and how we need to be strong like Ana and say, 'This is who I amand I'm fine with that," Schwartz said.

This is the second book forSchwartz, who also performs stand-up comedy.

The book, which features illustrations fromCathi-AnneCook, had its official launchSaturday morning at the McNally Robinson in Winnipeg'sGrant Park Shopping Centre.

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