I Am Odd, I Am New

I Am Odd, I Am New
by Benjamin Giroux
(picture book)

From Benjamin, the 10 year old author pours his heart out about how he felt being on the spectrum living in a neurotypical world.

Through the eyes of 10-year-old Benjamin Giroux, being odd is different, and different is a good thing. This is what the then fifth-grader hoped to convey in his poem, beginning every few sentences with "I am," about what it is like to live with autism.

Inspired by a school assignment, Benjamin's raw and emotional words poured out onto the page, but when he feared they were not any good, his parents shared the poem with friends and family. Little did they know that it would go viral and end up inspiring thousands of strangers who identified with him to share their support.

Now for the first time, Benjamin's iconic poem "I Am Odd, I Am New," comes to life in this lovingly illustrated picture book with a foreword written by the National Autism Association. So, whether you know the poem, or it is new to you, discover how Benjamin's honesty will reassure children of all ages that it's okay to be different.

Praise -----------------------------------------------------------------

"Written when the autistic author was 10, Girouxs poetic exploration of being/feeling different from the perspective of living on the spectrum brings to light that being neurodivergent is not the same as being broken or less. Being different is not an insurmountable obstacle to experiencing life but rather a gift to experience more."  -- Kirkus Starred Review

"Later, paper airplanes soar with the suggestion that different shouldnt mean separate, providing an answer to the poems hopeful concluding sentiments about finding where one belongs." -- Publisher's Weekly

"Benjamin Giroux's goal when writing his poem was to have society understand that being odd is different, and different is a good thing." -- Today