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Younger children love being read to and will enjoy pointing out the people and animals in the story. Older children can also read it for themselves. All children benefit from a kind but firm assurance that they are alright as they are – and they don’t need to change into something or someone else in order to do what they enjoy!

This story is about Betty, a girl who wants to run fast and have lots of friends, and a boy called Archie who wants to be clever and make things! Find out what their Mum and Dad tell them and how they end up happy to be themselves – without changing anything! "I Like Being ME!" is quirky and endearing with a simple, repetitive, storyline that starts with children wanting to change into something else - because they think they need to do that in order to make their dreams come true - and ends with the girl and boy happy to be themselves and (just like Mum and Dad) moving beyond silly gender stereotypes.

Alan McManus Ph.D. is a teacher and the author of the Bruno Benedetti Mysteries, for adults, various books on education, ethics, spirituality, medical controversy, nutrition, dogs, and plays! This is his first children’s book. Please tell all your friends and family who are concerned about the gender stereotypes being pushed in the 'pink brain/ blue brain' type of children's books that are now increasingly used in the classroom and even the nursery - spread the word so that kids can grow up confident in their own bodies doing what they love!