Quiet Is Strength

Adding to the shelf of books about ways of being in the world, Hess (Belong) reassures readers that there is value in hush and tranquility. “Quiet is strength,” often metaphorical lines begin. “It’s as strong as a monarch in migration.” Quiet is drawn as a distinct entity (“as important as a whisper and a promise,” as well as “confident in the space between silence and roar”), and examples describe the value that it can bring (“the kind smile and gentle hello. The walk together. The walk alone”). Across misty, sometimes static digital spreads with scanned textures, Phumiruk (Last Flight) represents groups portrayed with various abilities and skin tones moving through a spacious park, running and walking, and observing and playing. In one spread, children kneel on the pavement with chalk, at work on a piece of sidewalk art that resembles a colorful mosaic: “Quiet is the calm and energy you bring to us all.” Affirming comparisons continue (“A beam of light... a humble candle that illuminates the way”), reminding readers that quiet has a power and strength all its own. Ages 5–8. Agent (for author and illustrator): Deborah Warren, East West Literary. (Feb.)