Writing and reading "When Makayla Smiles" has been much a heartwarming experience. Twelve years have passed since I first wrote the first draft of the book which was dormant, lost in the files of a computer. Unable to locate the original text, I rewrote it and of course the text is completely different and so is our Makayla.
Makayla, our 15 year old grandchild with autism, is non-verbal and was thought to be challenged intellectually, but at 14 years old, we discovered that Makayla is an intellectual genius, and using "Letter Boarding" for the first time at age 14, communicates with her mother, Manana, father, Khari, sister, Amani and brother, Nasir. Makayla wants to be an advocate for children with autism, and when she smiles so many feelings are experienced. In "When Makayla Smiles,” I’ll share just a few of them!
Who makes you smile and how does their smile make you feel? Share your thoughts at the end of the book.-
Dr. Maxine Hankins Cain
