Patricia L McIntosh

A giraffe is a safe guardian, an elephant a playmate, and bears become trusted friends on the pages of I am Mallorie. Delightful story book animals created with greenscreen photography illustrate the feelings and life of Mallorie, a happy and brave little girl that has been diagnosed with selective mutism, an uncommon anxiety disorder that affects her ability to speak in some social situations. Her symptoms were undetected until she was about three years old. She was a talkative toddler at home but completely silent in public. The concerns became more noticeable as she prepared to enter preschool. Medical professionals, a school speech and language pathologist, and her parents worked together to find alternative ways for Mallorie to communicate without using her words until she is ready to share them. This is her story. Read about Mallorie's unique world where she conquers fears and accept herself as wonderfully made.

A wedding can be both exciting and scary, creating questions for a child. Patricia L. McIntosh remembers a wedding from her childhood where she lined up with the eligible ladies, hoping to catch the bouquet. Imagine the excitement she felt when the bundle of flowers landed in her hands. That joy quickly turned to fear when people teased that she would be the next to marry. Young Pattie took her prize and retreated to her parents' car where she crouched in the back seat to hide-safe from being forced into early matrimony. Her mother had to retrieve her and explain that it was only a joke. What's at the Wedding? should relieve some anxiety, give parents an opportunity to talk over the big day, and help your child have a better understanding of what to expect at upcoming nuptials, leaving only excitement and a happily ever after for all.