Bøger udgivet af Zuiker Press

What does someone do when they're born as one gender, but feel themselves to be another? With this graphic novel, Maison boldly shares her story of transitioning, so that other kids with gender dysphoria and related conditions will no longer feel so isolated, hopeless, or lost.

Bridget and Carlton are as close as any sister and brother. But their relationship is particularly special. Carlton has autism and is almost completely nonverbal. He's smart, funny, creative, and loving. He has immense challenges in speaking full sentences. Bridget's fierce loyalty to and compassion for her brother led to an unbreakable bond that has helped the siblings cope with divorce and homelessness. Carlton's devotion to his family is loud and clear, even in his silence.Carlton Hudgens was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at three years old. He didn't speak or interact with the world around him, except with humming and flapping arms. The diagnosis provided a label, but not an answer. He was considered low-functioning, but all that meant was that there was a laundry list of tasks he couldn't do, and little recognition of what he could. Carlton's sister, Bridget, just a year younger, became his protector, sharing their birthdays so that he could open the presents first, taking the blame for a broken toy to spare him from being punished on Christmas Day. She understood that she was living in Carlton's world, not the other way around. Because Carlton doesn't speak in full sentences, Bridget has opted to tell his story. "My brother is brilliant in every way," Bridget says. "He just doesn't speak like we speak." When Carlton was five years old, he uttered his first words: "I love you, Mom!" Bridget was elated. That sentence meant that he could hear her, that he could speak, and that she had a chance to reach her ultimate goal of bonding with her brother. Bridget was his protector, but Carlton became Bridget's savior. When Bridget was eleven years old, she and Carlton went to the public pool. Carlton was a natural swimmer, but Bridget couldn't swim at all. As the two played a game in the shallow end, they drifted closer to the deep end. Bridget panicked, swallowing water and crying for help. Carlton swam to her and pulled her to safety. No longer was he different, with special needs, or "that kid with autism." To Bridget, he was the big brother who had just saved her. Later on, he became a savior to others. Autism didn't stop him feeling compassion and love. It just made it harder for him to express those emotions. Their parents' divorce and the subsequent remarriage of their mother created a more stable life for Carlton, but Bridget had a hard time accepting the good changes. She had put herself second for so long, it was difficult to allow an adult to take over the care of her brother. By early adulthood, Bridget began to realize that the most fulfilling part of her life was forming a deeper connection with Carlton-an unbreakable bond that would shape brother and sister for the rest of their lives. It was Carlton's influence that led to her passion for helping others with special needs.

The death of a child is a tragedy. When the cause is suicide, the tragedy is compounded. It's not easy to read about, or talk about, and yet it is so crucial that young adults who feel the world closing in know that ending their lives is not the answer. There are people who can help. There are people who care. A thirteen year old should be enjoying life, planning her future, anticipating the joys to come. Instead, and sadly for all who knew her, Hailee Joy Lamberth, chose a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Hailee was an A student, bubbling with enthusiasm and love for life. She danced, wrote poems, and attended classes for gifted students. She loved playing with her little brother, Jacob. They'd play hide and seek and she'd always hide in the same place so that Jacob would find her. But her favorite interaction with Jacob was when they rode the Ferris wheel together and got stuck at the top. Jacob was afraid, but Hailee reassured him. "We're practically in heaven," she tells him. "Well if we die," Jacob says, "At least we'll be together." When she was twelve years old, the bullying began. First it was a boy in math class who seemed to have a crush on her. When she rebuffed him, he started sending her mean notes, calling her names, and spreading rumors about her. Then it was a girl in P.E. who would crash into her when no one was looking. Hailee tried to avoid the bullies. She decided to drop out of the math class. She made excuses to her parents in order to escape, and her parents believed her. They didn't know that her life was becoming unbearable. By the end of the school year, Hailee had begun to cut herself. It was her way of coping with the constant degradation. She overachieved in school in order to keep her parents from asking too many questions. A kid who is bullied often becomes an expert liar. In seventh grade, the bullying increased, growing like a cancer. Hailee kept up appearances to protect her parents and brother, but inside she was suffering. Two days after her thirteenth birthday, she succumbed to the pain. Hailee's parents have decided to not allow her death to be in vain. By working with Zuiker Press to tell Hailee's story as if she were able to tell it herself, they hope reach out to other young people in crisis, and show them that they do have options -- and to prevent them from bringing the excruciating pain of suicide to their families.

"I am known as 'One Shot,' because I have just one shot to save any kids who may be going through what I go through every day . . ."Born with a deforming disease known as CLOVES syndrome, Alex Bruorton has learned to deflect the hurtful comments slung his way and focus on the beautiful, brave person he truly is. From birth, his illness, which causes severe overgrowth in his face, was painfully evident. He has endured twenty-five surgeries to correct the growths, but nothing lasts for long. At a very young age, he realized he had to accept his face as it is. Fortunately, his family's fierce love and protection have been constant and impenetrable. But it's almost impossible to totally shield a child from bullying. Alex went to school, suffered horrible attacks, and returned home, hiding his fear and anger. Gradually, his family found a way to help him help himself. They enlisted the help of a therapist who showed Alex how to declare a truce on his war with the outside world and learn to open up and talk-about himself, about life, about pain, and about joy. Today, Alex has friends, is an avid fisherman, and loves his life. Any bullies who come his way are quickly disarmed by his honest, integrity, and humanity. His story will inspire kids and parents alike. Zuiker Press is proud to publish stories about important current topics for kids and adolescents, written by their peers, that will help them cope with the challenges they face in today's troubled world.

Keynote: Johnathan, a fifteen-year-old African American from Long Beach, California, shares his story of being physically and verbally harassed because of his race, and of overcoming the discrimination to embrace all cultures, and then to be proud of his own.Colorblind: A Story of Racism is the third in a series of graphic novels written by young adults for their peers. Johnathan Harris is fifteen, and lives in Long Beach, California, where he loves playing soccer with his friends, and listening to their favorite rapper, Snoop Dogg, a Long Beach native. His mom, dad, and three brothers are tight, but one of the most influential family members for Johnathan is his Uncle Russell, a convict in prison, serving fifteen years to life . . . Uncle Russell taught Johnathan from a very young age to see people from the perspective of their cultures, and not just their skin color. He imbued a pride of his ancestry and cautioned against letting hatred into his heart. But when Johnathan was just eight years old, something happened that filled him with fear and the very hatred that Uncle Russell had warned him about. What happened to Johnathan made him see that a dream of a colorless world was just that. A dream. That event shook him to his core. Anger grew inside him like a hot coal. Uncle Russell had told him to “throw it away or you will get burned,” but Johnathan was young and frightened. He was having a hard time forgiving, much less forgetting. Colorblind is Johnathan’s story of confronting his own racism and overcoming it. It is a story of hope and optimism that all, young and old, should heed. Zuiker Press is proud to publish stories about important current topics for kids and adolescents, written by their peers, that will help them cope with the challenges they face in today’s troubled world.

Dounya, a Muslim girl living in Las Vegas, Nevada, shares her very personal story of battling eating disorders when she was a teenager, in order to help other young people suffering from this affliction.Imperfect: A Story of Body Image is the fourth in a series of graphic novels written by young adults for their peers. Dounya Awada is a 24-year-old, devout Muslim, happy, healthy, and very much alive. But just a few years before, she nearly starved to death. Her struggle began when she was six years old. Little Dounya wanted nothing less than to be perfect, like her mother. She pushed herself hard every day, excelling in schoolwork and at home. She had to be the cutest, prettiest, smartest girl in the room. The slightest hint of imperfection led to meltdowns and uncontrollable tantrums. Her parents loved her fiercely but were unable to understand what was happening to their little girl. Being perfect all the time was exhausting. In Dounya’s culture, food is nearly synonymous with love. Food is nourishment, nourishment is love, love is life. Dounya began to eat to fill the growing need within her. She grew in size, eventually hitting over 200 pounds at just age 15. Food became her only friend. Her peers mocked her. She felt utterly alone. As is the case for someone with dysmorphia, Dounya’s obsession with food did a turnabout, and she began rigorous exercising and dieting. But even a substantial weight loss didn’t satisfy her. She looked in the mirror and still saw the fat girl she used to be. She began the ugly cycle of bingeing and purging, eventually hitting a low weight of just 73 pounds. Dounya’s horrific struggle with eating disorders has led her to advocate for boys and girls facing the same hurdles with which she struggled. She is now studying clinical psychology, and hopes to open an eating and dysmorphia disorder facility in Las Vegas for boys and girls with her disorder. If her story helps just one person to recognize the beauty of their imperfection, then her pain will have been worthwhile. Zuiker Press is proud to publish stories about important current topics for kids and adolescents, written by their peers, that will help them cope with the challenges they face in today’s troubled world.

Click is the heroic story of a young girl who was terrorized by schoolmates with merciless online harassment and her brave effort to overcome her tormentors. Her powerful, compelling story is told in brilliant graphic novel form.Lexi's story of cyberbullying is a shocking depiction of young teenager's torment in the newfound world of online harassment. Lexi, from Northridge, California, is ganged up on by a few girls over a misunderstanding on the schoolyard. The incident escalates on social media, local chat boards, and gossip sites. Forced to change schools, Lexi gets her karmic revenge when she returns to her old school for a Winter Formal. In a gesture of pure bravery, Lexi turns the tables on the "clique" by landing the boy at the dance and her picture in the yearbook.

Mend: A Story of Divorce is the first in a series of graphic novels written by young adults for their peers.Sophia, the fourteen-year-old author and protagonist, tells the heart-wrenching story of her parents' divorce. She was just nine years old, happy and enjoying life with her mom, dad, and little brother in Las Vegas, Nevada. Unexpectedly, one night, a violent argument disrupted her sleep and shattered her life. The next morning, her parents told her the dreaded news-they were getting divorced. Her dad was moving to California, while Sophia and her brother would stay with their mom. Any child who has experienced the trauma of divorce will understand Sophia's reactions: First, she blamed herself. But then, she remembered a note a teacher once wrote on her report card, and was inspired to focus on bringing both parents back into her life. Even if they could not be under the same roof, she thought, they could still share in caring for her and her brother. Sophia's story will resonate with children (and adults) who have faced a split in their family, or who have friends dealing with divorce. The book includes helpful advice for parents, as well as a special Teacher's Corner page. Zuiker Press is proud to publish stories about important current topics for kids and adolescents, written by their peers, that will help them cope with the challenges they face in today's troubled world.