Chatting to friends, family and teachers comes easily to most children and is a foundation to forming important and beneficial relationships. But this isn't the case for all children, and schools are seeing a recent rise in Selective Mutism linked to social anxiety.

Selective Mutism (SM), sometimes called Situational Mutism, is a severe anxiety disorder that usually begins in early childhood, but may be triggered by a difficult or stressful experience. A young person with SM has the cognitive and physical ability to speak, but finds themselves unable to talk due to an overwhelming anxiety. 

It is more than introversion and shyness; experts believe that SM is a phobia of talking but one that the child can usually overcome with support and understanding. 

Children with SM find it extremely difficult to speak in certain social situations such as during school lessons or in front of people they do not know, and appear frozen - literally unable to speak. But they are often chatty with close family and friends, or other situations they feel comfortable in.

The books in this collection all feature a main character with selective mutism and may offer reassurance to children experiencing SM themselves, or to help others empathise with school friends or family members who are selectively mute.