I am Mallorie

About the Book

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.

About the Author

Patricia L. McIntosh is a wife, entrepreneur, and artist, but it’s the titles of mom and grandma that she treasures. Hearing people label her granddaughter, Mallorie, as stubborn, rude, or shy, Patricia decided to use her experience as a writer to be Mallorie’s advocate and bring awareness to the truth behind the silence. Andrea Johnson RN, MSN, PMHNP-BC has spent her career in healthcare and she is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Her medical background and one-on-one time spent with her niece Mallorie gives her a unique understanding of selective mutism from a professional perspective. Sara K. McIntosh, Mallorie’s mother, worries that her daughter will fall behind with education or not fit in with her peers due to her restricted speech. As a teacher, she understood the importance of early intervention and took advantage of resources available through her school. In this book Sara shares her thoughts.