Gary Schwartz of North Bend has announced that his first book, “The King of Average,” has been awarded two gold medals for preteen and middle grade fiction. He will accept the awards Sept. 3 at the Children’s Literary Classics award ceremony in Rapid City, S.D.

“The King of Average” tells the tale of James, an average boy. Transported by his wish to be the most average boy who ever lived, he befriends a talking scapegoat named Mayor Culpa. Together they embark on a wild adventure to discover and claim his true self-worth.

“I suffered abuse as a child.” says Schwartz. “I believe we all take the various traumas of childhood with us into adulthood and without self-awareness, we can suffer our whole lives. This story will entertain and inspire children to better understand their feelings and discover their own truth in a hilarious allegory.”