Just the Way I Am

In Just the Way I Am, new school bus Sabrina is getting ready for her very first day on the job and she's full of nerves. What if the kids don't like her? What if she's not good enough? She knows the route and the schedule by heart, but something still doesn't feel right.
Like many children heading into a new school year, Sabrina worries about fitting in. Determined to make a good impression, she spends hours polishing up and trying to be perfect. But instead of feeling confident, she ends up more anxious than ever.
With help from her friends Sam and Gupta who never try to be anything other than themselves Sabrina begins to understand that being liked isn't about being flawless. It's about being real.
This gentle, relatable story helps young readers explore the value of self-acceptance and the idea that true friendships come from being exactly who you are.

Karin LaScola is a former educator, TV news reporter and producer whose love of storytelling took root in newsrooms from Eureka, California to Norfolk, Virginia to Phoenix, Arizona. In each role, she developed a deep appreciation for clear, engaging writing an appreciation that eventually led her to a second career centered on children and literacy.Now based in Petaluma, California, she spends as much time as possible outdoors or inside her local library, where she volunteers to help families and children discover books they'll cherish. Her path shifted when she left the broadcast world to focus on raising her daughters, Dania and Alena. It was during those years that her attention turned to children's literature. Working as a reading support instructor at Kyrene Elementary School and Horizon Community Learning Centers, she saw firsthand the challenges young learners faced. That experience inspired her to pursue a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Literacy from Arizona State University, which she completed in 2017.The idea for Sam the School Bus was sparked by the simple sight of a yellow bus climbing the hill near her home each morning and afternoon. As the stories unfolded in her mind, she knew it was time to bring Sam's world to life-made even more exciting by the serendipitous partnership with a passionate and dedicated illustrator.She hopes readers will grow just as fond of Sam and his friends as she has and invites families to visit SamtheSchoolbus.com for early literacy tips and fun activities to enjoy with their children.