Thursday, March 25, 2010

A quiet book


I was browsing new picture books at one of my local indie bookstores a few days ago and picked up The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Renata Liwska. As the promo materials note, "There are many kinds of quiet -- from first one awake quiet to top of the roller coaster quiet."

The book is very minimal and understated, a catalog of different kinds of quiet. But between the carefully chosen examples and the expressions on the animals' faces, it conveys a huge range of emotions. I loved the complexity and variety the author managed to get across in such a simple format and so few words.

There is don’t scare the robin quiet. Others telling secrets quiet. Thinking of a good reason you were drawing on the wall quiet. Bedtime kiss quiet. And lots more. This is a perfect bedtime book. Very sweet.

(I noted that the book creators'  names weren't on the front cover. That would be hard for me if I were the author -- would love to know the story behind that decision.)