Janice Beier has three biracial daughters. When her two oldest were in elementary and middle school, she watched them struggle with issues of fitting in as they tried to figure out where they belonged.

So when her youngest daughter turned 2, Beier made up a bedtime story about a rainbow striped zebra named Zebert , who, after seeing a rainbow, wishes his stripes were the same colors as those found in rainbows. It's a wish that comes true.

But there's a catch. Now that he's multihued, Zebert has trouble fitting in. After all, the other zebras are just black and white and they aren't sure whether to accept a rainbow-colored zebra.

Her daughter loved the story so much that Beier, who lives in Merrillville, decided to make it the first in a series about children's issues. Titled "Zebert, the Rainbow Striped Zebra" (Rainbow's Ink, $16.99), the book is geared for children ages 2 to 8.

"The book goes back to the lessons that I had taught my older children about peer pressure and about how their differences are what make them special and they shouldn't be hidden away, that instead they should be celebrated," says Beier, a member of Write On Hoosiers and The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). "When my two oldest were young, they wanted straight hair even though their hair was beautiful and curly. I wanted to make it more acceptable to young children about looking different and I thought the story was a way to do that. It's about acceptance and tolerance."

Zebert and his friends learn that it's not what is outside but what is inside that makes them special. They also learn to appreciate how each of them are unique.

"My next book will be about a turtle who wants to play soccer," says Beier noting that the response to her book has been positive and readers are sending in ideas for future books. "I want to stick with diversity and help people know that they should be kind to each other."

Those who order the book also get a read-along CD that includes Zebert's Song. It's Beier's way of making the book accessible to a wide range of children.

"It's never too early to start teaching young children about differences," she says. "When they start pointing out the differences in others is a good time is start."

For more information or to order a book, go to www.rainbowsinkbooks.com or www.authorsden.com.