Arlene Gerrity Releases UNIQUE

Author Arlene Gerrity's friend, Margaret Mary Campbell is a person born with albinism. When they met in 1995, Campbell was still teaching and Gerrity admired how much she loved teaching and her sincere dedication to her students. Because of many myths and negative portrayals of albinism in the media, both women felt a need for children to see an honest and accurate image of albinism in literature and the media. Hence, they publish a storybook about a little robin born with the inherited genetic condition of albinism, titled "UNIQUE."

According to The National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH):

The word "albinism" refers to a group of inherited conditions. People with albinism have little or no pigment in their eyes, skin, or hair. They have inherited altered genes that do not make the usual amounts of a pigment called melanin. One person in 17,000 in the U.S.A. has some type of albinism. Albinism affects people from all races. Most children with albinism are born to parents who have normal hair and eye color for their ethnic backgrounds. Sometimes, people do not recognize that they have albinism. A common myth is that people with albinism have red eyes. In fact, there are different types of albinism and the amount of pigment in the eyes varies. Although some individuals with albinism have reddish or violet eyes, most have blue eyes. Some have hazel or brown eyes. However, all forms of albinism are associated with vision problems.

Set in an apple tree and the surrounding areas, the inspiring story explains, in a simple way, how a little bird born with albinism learns to adapt to its life with poor vision and lack of skin, hair (in this case, feathers) and eye pigmentation. Unique, the little robin, gets all the love and support she needs from her mother and father robin and her two sisters, Spring and Summer.

A colorful, educational tale with a positive, uplifting message, "UNIQUE" is a book that truly appeals to readers as it portrays the rare condition of albinism in a positive manner as opposed to the unending negative myths fostered by the media and especially the motion picture industry. It teaches valuable life lessons, such as perseverance and loving support, through a catchy rhyming style that is easy and fun to read.

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About the Author
Arlene Gerrity loves to read to children. She has been reading to the children of the Scranton School District, Pa., and other local school districts since 2005. After her retirement of 10 years as a teacher's aide, she published her own children's book entitled "The Tale of Chicken Noodle and Rabbit Stew Number Two."."UNIQUE" is the first book she both wrote and illustrated. Gerrity and Margaret Mary Campbell met in 1995 and became good friends. It took the two friends over a year to finish this beautiful story, but they considered it a labor of love.

UNIQUE * by Arlene Gerrity
Publication Date: August 20, 2013
Picture Book; $15.99; 24 pages; 978-1-4836-8476-5
Picture Book Hardcover; $25.99; 24 pages; 978-1-4836-8477-2
Ebook; $3.99; 978-1-4836-8478-9

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