A Quiet Girl
Author & Illustrator: Peter Carnavas
Pajama Press
Grade level: K-2, Ages: 4-7
It was no surprise to learn that the author was himself a primary school teacher.
I think everyone can agree that the world is too loud. Especially during an election year, the noise can feel suffocating. And I’m an adult. How much more overwhelming must it feel to a child? Enter this sweet picture book by Peter Carnavas.
Frequently the heroines of our books and movies and TV shows are plucky, stubborn, sarcastic and brave. But the protagonist here is a quiet girl. Mary thinks quiet thoughts, steps quiet steps, and whispers quiet words. She is so quiet that sometimes she is overlooked. Rather than change however, she leans in to the quiet, noticing the soft, subtle sounds of nature, and eventually, she teaches her family to do the same.
Because Mary was quiet, she heard things nobody else heard.
A dragonfly buzzing through the sky.
The soft sigh of the sleeping dog next door.
The gentle creak of the tree at the end of her street.
The rhythmic, repetitive language acts as a soothing balm, as do the soft pastel illustrations. I wish I had taken my blood pressure before and after reading this little book, as I’m pretty sure it went down. I barely needed the mindfulness tips Carnavas includes after the story concludes, although teachers and parents will find them helpful.
It was no surprise to learn that the author was himself a primary school teacher. Most of us teacher types develop a profound appreciation for quiet. This little tome might help you and your child to do the same.
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More books for this Age Group can be found here.
My thanks to Pajama Press for providing a Review Copy of this book. The views expressed herein are my own.
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