I'm Glad I'm Me

Bursting with colour, character and charm. Written in playful rhyme to delight audiences of any age. 'I'm Glad I'm Me' is a message of encouragement to reflect on our individuality and embrace it.

In today's world, where comparison and self-doubt often prevail, 'I'm Glad I'm Me' gently reminds us about the importance of self-belief and being content with who you are

This endearing read takes you into the minds of a diverse range of children who express admiration for an animal for their unique traits. Yet, each child pauses to consider that this animal may just envy them for the freedoms and privilege that they take for granted.

A word from the author.

Now more than ever we are inundated by messaging that profits off our proclivity to compare ourselves to others. Young children are the most susceptible and by far the most targeted by this messaging. All in the most formative years of their lives.

‘I’m Glad I’m Me’ seeks to send a simple but important message to its readers. We will often feel compelled to compare ourselves to others. We may even envy them for who they are or what they have. But it is also important to be able to identify value in ourselves and focus on that.

My hope is that this simple message will help to build a degree of emotional resilience. To arm them against the thought that they’re not enough. And to help them to build a strong and clear sense of self.

“I look at all these animals, while back at me they're gazing,
I think they’re all pretty great but they think I’m amazing!
And while it’s fun to dream of being strong and wild and free,
I’m happy just the way I am...”

My name is James, I'm from Sydney, Australia. I have always loved writing. Be it song lyrics, rhymes, jokes, comedy sketches or short stories. I am constantly jotting ideas for the next thing. I discovered my love of writing children's books around 2016. Since then I'm constantly finding new ideas to turn into yet another story to add to my ever growing list of works in progress.My stories tend speak to an aspect of emotional resilience. Themes of perseverance, tenacity, self respect, and the power of applying yourself are evident in my messaging.Although I create stories for children, I write with adults in mind. They are more often than not, the ones reading the book to their child. It is my hope they enjoy reading this to their kids and discussing the imagery and the important, overarching message of the book. I have a knack for teaching something valuable without making it feel like you were made to learn and I find great joy from that.It is my intention to keep writing books, that teach kids important lessons in emotional resilience. It is my hope that parents will take away the lesson as well and see how to help reinforce that messaging throughout their child's life. I thank everyone who takes the time to read my books. I hope to keep bringing you stories worth reading and lessons worth learning for many years to come.

Andrew McIntosh is a full time digital illustrator from Melbourne, Australia. He has illustrated many childrens books, book covers, websites, logos, promotional posters, and a stamp. Ever since Andrew can remember, he has had a pencil and paper on hand. He started his artistic career in the video games industry focusing on Pixel art, 3D modelling and UI design. In his spare time, Andrew paints whimsical characters and scenes which are greatly inspired by nature.