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Pat McCaw writes books for children. She has earned her MFA in Creative writing for children from Hamline University, and has her Medical Degree currently practicing family medicine in Eldridge, Iowa. Children are her passion, and she believes picture books can be therapeutic. Books provide an escape into the pages, and children can use this imaginary world to help their anxiety, grief, first day of school jitters, and many other worries. Pat writes middle grade novels, picture books and young adult literature, and would love to talk about the craft of writing or read with the children any day.

About { me }.

About { me }.

Welcome to my webpage!  I divide my time between writing children’s books, practicing medicine and loving up my two beautiful daughters and husband. I live on a lake in Eldridge, Iowa, where I enjoy fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding and floating in the sun. Solitude is my happy place.

In high school, I recall telling my English teacher, Mrs. Ferrier, that I wanted to publish a children’s book. My writing journey took backstage to science at the University of Iowa as I got my medical degree. But a dream cannot be crushed, despite critics, and a passion cannot be quelled, despite distractions.

After years of practicing family medicine, destiny knocked – or pounded – on my door. A friend challenged me to participate in Nanaowrimo and I wrote a 50,000 word children’s fantasy novel in 10 days.The words poured out of my fingertips, and I began a new adventure. My brain was free to let my imagination run wild. I charted a new destiny.

And so I began again . . .

Realizing my skills needed fine-tuning, I went back to school and received my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University. A decision that changed my life. I don’t write to become famous or to seek approval – I write for me.

{ I believe } picture books can be therapeutic.

{ I believe } picture books can be therapeutic.

Children struggle with stress, anxiety, identity issues, grief, and fear just like adults. As a physician, I see children present to the office with symptoms of tummy aches, headaches, and illness when emotions are the main concern. Picture books can help children to recognize their feelings and identify with a character with similar struggles. This helps kids to cope and persevere. Here’s a list of picture books that can help many different conditions (anxiety, grief, autism, etc.).

At Hamline University, I wrote: It’s a Scary World Out There: Crafting Picture Books to Help Anxiety and Fear (click here to read this extended critical essay). In this essay I provide examples of picture books that allow children to access their feeling through the eyes of a scared squirrel or a lost bear. When a child sees their stress mirrored on the page, it also shows them that they can cope and survive just as their favorite characters did.

I write daily, and I currently do not have an agent. Someday, I will be traditionally published and my books will be available worldwide! In the mean time, I have reworked a previously self published title SAVING THE WORLD, and I’ve expanded it into a fantasy middle grade series. The GRYMBALLIA SERIES is three book fantasy adventure. See My Books page for more details!

Stay tuned for more!

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