Amanda's love for poetry began when she was a child. She loved to write in rhyme and made up all kinds of poems about her classmates that created a little mayhem and laughter. This poetry collection (her first) is more of a serious journey into self; a quest for love; not only to love and believe in herself, but to extend that love into the world. This collection is the culmination of a year's soul searching; an incredible journey with all its ups and downs; a journey she will never forget. Amanda discovered as she journaled and wrote poetry, that the key to her creativity, was her ability to tap into her younger self; the inner child in all of us, that yearns to throw off the shackles of adulthood, and be young and free again. That young, often frightened child, who reaches out from time to time and cries, "Come and get me." And that's exactly what Amanda did.

The Elephant in the Room is a children's storybook with whimsical illustrations and rhyming verses of positive strategies for coping with grief and loss. The gender-neutral elephant character demonstrates the potential emotions that children may experience when faced with any type of loss such as death of a pet or a relative, a friend moving away, foster care, hospitalization, etc. This book can serve to initiate a discussion or to provide unconscious messages of love, power, and healing. The practical and realistic coping strategies are developmentally appropriate for young children in early childhood and are based in best practices according to research in children's literature and social-emotional development. It is recommended that the book be read daily, as needed, during traumatic events and that the adult wait patiently for the child to initiate a discussion. It is anticipated that The Elephant in the Room will serve as a transitional object for children experiencing grief and loss and that it will help them navigate their unique and individual journey towards healing, concurrently or in the years ahead. This book is a must-have for teachers, grief counselors, healthcare practitioners, therapists, social workers, and librarians. Additionally, it can serve as an important resource for families during difficult events.