Quiet

Nature is a whirl of activity--"busy as busy can be," renowned children's book creator dePaola writes--when a scarf-clad grandfather (who resembles the author) goes walking in the park with two of his grandchildren. A dragonfly buzzes through the air, a frog jumps into the pond, the trees wave in a breeze, and the family's dog is full of energy. But the grandfather has an idea: he asks the children to sit, "quiet and still," on a bench with him. As the trio settles, the rest of the world seems to slow, too--and everything and everyone seems more alive and aware. "I can think, when I'm quiet," the girl says. "I can see, when I'm still," says the boy. Rendered in soft pastel tones and generous white space and using minimal, poetic text, the book itself embodies the beauty of quietude. DePaola reminds the reader that the great rush of life is not all it's cracked up to be--and that pausing can open people, and moments, to wonder. Ages 4-8. Agent: Doug Whiteman, Whiteman Agency. (Oct.)

PreS-Gr 2--In a park one day, a girl, boy, and their grandfather enjoy observing the busy activities of the creatures around them. Birds hurry across the sky. Their dog chases a ball. A frog jumps and a dragonfly zooms. Even leaves on the trees are moving. So grandfather suggests they sit together quietly. Coincidentally, all the animals that were previously active pause as well. The birds sit on tree branches singing, the dog falls asleep, the frog just sits and blinks, and the dragonfly stops beating its wings. Soon both children come to appreciate the benefits of being quiet. DePaola's signature cartoon illustrations are done with transparent acrylics and colored pencils using a muted palette that aptly matches the story's theme: "To be quiet and still is a special thing." All the spreads are bordered in pastel green and contain fun details such as a parade of ladybugs walking across a leaf and animal activities below ground. White space greatly increases when animals and humans are at rest. Although the animals' cessation of activities just when the humans decide to do so seems somewhat contrived, the value of taking time to remain quiet is an important message to share with children. VERDICT Best shared one-on-one or as a small group mediation.--Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA