Our little reader has requested this story often enough that she can “read” it (i.e. recite from memory) to herself
Author-illustrator Tomie DePaola’s “Quiet” is simple, sweet and contemplative. From the very first page, we felt the urge to read it a little more quietly – and a little more slowly – than our other books.
“Quiet” is the story of a grandfather exploring the natural world with his two grandchildren. It embodies “Zen” without ever saying the word, and encourages readers (children and parents alike) to slow down in our all-too-busy-world. The beauty of the book is that it delivers these messages without feeling didactic or overbearing (quite the contrary, in fact).
Although geared toward children ages 4-8, our 2-year-old had no problem engaging with the story. It’s a normal hardcover book – which is to say, not a board book – but the narrative is straight-forward with just enough words to get the message across. In fact, this is one of those stories where our daughter always asks to “read it again” as soon as we finish it.
And with a read time of less than three minutes, we normally oblige because, honestly, this book is fantastic for calming their busy brains and energetic bodies after a kinetic, frenetic day.
“Quiet” is highly recommended for parents looking for a way to help their young child relax at bedtime.