According to a parenting article in the Globe and Mail last April, studies have shown that "up to 10 per cent of kindergarten-aged children suffer from an anxiety disorder – a rate that jumps to more than 15 per cent of high-school students." While teachers may not necessarily pick up on anxiety disorders since they normally do not affect a child's ability to learn, parents often notice their child's unusual behaviour. One of the coping strategies mentioned in the article is to explain to the child that his or her feelings of fear and worry stem from a condition called anxiety. And what better way to begin an open dialogue than through storytelling. Allow me to introduce you to Martha the Mouse.