I Am Quiet
A Story for the Introvert in All of Us
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Goodreads Best Children's Book of 2022
Kid's Indie Next List Pick
Emile is not shy—he is quiet.
Emile may seem timid and shy on the outside, but on the inside he is bustling with imagination. While grownups and even other kids may see Emile as the shy kid who doesn’t raise his hand in class, we know that Emile is actually a high-seas adventurer, a daring explorer, and a friend to wild beasts.
This story honors and encourages the beauty of knowing ourselves for exactly who we are. Emile’s world shows us that the mind of a quiet child can be as rich, expansive, and bold as that of any other (more extroverted) child.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Powers's children's book debut begins by introducing readers to its introverted narrator, Emile, who immediately makes a clear distinction: "I am quiet. Grown-ups tell me, ‘Don't be shy.' But I am not shy. I AM QUIET." Emile explains to readers that though "I am quiet on the outside... on the inside, my imagination shouts loudly and runs wild." As Sir Emile, the armor-clad youth cavorts with fierce dragons; as a ship's captain, "I salute the biggest whale." Though Emile shows a quieter face externally, the child is intensely engaged with the world, proving an inventive artist as well as a close, empathic observer of nature ("I hear quiet scuttling beneath the earth"), and a good friend. And while classmates "are full of answers and ready to burst," Emile is fine whispering answers softly inward. In unlined art, Petersen (Happy Puppy, Angry Tiger) foregrounds the tan-skinned figure atop minimalist settings, but the child's calm, confident demeanor thwarts any impulse to project feelings of loneliness—whether readers gain energy from solo time or from a group, they will find much to admire in this book's protagonist, who is comfortable in the world and in their skin. An author's note concludes. Ages 3–7.
