Please Stop Smiling

Ten-year-old Jose is in a dilemma. His older brother has a severe mental illness, and keeps acting strangely. On top of that, Jose's best friend keeps teasing him about his brother's serious condition. When they come across an animal in grave danger, Jose and Sebastian don't know what to do! Will Jose's brother save the day? www.pleasestopsmiling.com Richard Carlson Jr. has paranoid schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Wanting to educate youngsters about his widely misunderstood and wrongfully feared illness, Richard wrote Please Stop Smiling, which helps erase the stigma associated with severe mental illness. He likes to make others happy and hopes to do so by making people feel more comfortable around the mentally ill by fostering greater understanding. www.richardcarlsonjr.com Kevin Carlson is a talented artist who has autism, which is a serious brain disorder. Kevin loves art and works at a crafts store that employs mentally handicapped individuals. www.kevincarlson.info