Children's Book JACOB AND MAE is Released

Middle-school student Jacob has autism. Mae is a popular girl who becomes his best friend and advocate when he is bullied. In "Jacob and Mae: A story about my friend with Autism" (published by AuthorHouse), author Vanetta LaRosa, Ph.D., BCBA-D, who has 25 years of experience working with people with autism, shares the story of Jacob and Mae to increase children's understanding of autism and decrease the chance of bullying.

"The book does not explain Autism as a disability, but enables others to see beyond the diagnosis into the unique qualities that a person has despite it," LaRosa says. "It teaches young people how to understand and appreciate people with Autism, and shows them that by opening their minds and hearts, that wonderful and real friendships are possible."

Launching a new marketing push for the book, LaRosa wrote "Jacob and Mae" to provide fourth- through eighth-graders with information about bullying and autism - hidden in a friendly and captivating story - using language children use to communicate with one another. "People with Autism are an important part of our society," LaRosa adds. "Bullying of these children is on the rise and people are being hurt. Empathy must be taught so that kids can see people with Autism in their true light ... as special as they truly are."

"Jacob and Mae"
By Vanetta LaRosa
Softcover | 5 x 8in | 72 pages | ISBN 9781496936585
E-Book | 72 pages | ISBN 9781496936745
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author
Vanetta LaRosa, Ph.D., BCBA-D, has worked with people with autism for 25 years. She has a doctorate in educational psychology with a subspecialty in human learning and development from Southern Illinois University. She has doctoral-level board certification in behavior analysis and is in her second year of post-doctoral re-specialization in neuropsychology. LaRosa owns and operates Helping Hands Children Services, an agency that provides behavior intervention and special education services to people with autism and developmental and intellectual disabilities. She also developed a non-profit organization - Helping Hands Behavioral Outreach Inc. - that provides friendship groups and social skills training. More information is available at helpinghandschildren.com.

AuthorHouse, an Author Solutions, Inc. self-publishing imprint, is a leading provider of book publishing, marketing, and bookselling services for authors around the globe and offers the industry's only suite of Hollywood book-to-film services. Committed to providing the highest level of customer service, AuthorHouse assigns each author personal publishing and marketing consultants who provide guidance throughout the process. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, AuthorHouse celebrated 15 years of service to authors in Sept. 2011.For more information or to publish a book visit authorhouse.com or call 1-888-519-5121. For the latest, follow @authorhouse on Twitter.

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