Girl, 7, with rare skin disease stars in book explaining disorder to classmates

Maria Maciukas starts in a mainstream primary school this week (Richard Sheehy/PA)

A young schoolgirl who suffers from a rare skin disease has become the cover star of a new book explaining the debilitating illness to her new classmates as she starts school this week.

Maria Maciukas, from Dublin, will be waved off by her mother Gunita Spirge on her first day at a mainstream primary school on Thursday.