Charlotte and the Quiet Place

Charlotte, a brown-skinned girl with a mop of curly hair, struggles to find peace and quiet living in New York City: “On the sidewalk, the jackhammers blast. On the street, the sirens warble and wail.” After Charlotte chases her dog into the park, the two sit under a tree where Charlotte calms her breathing and her mind, finding a “quiet place inside” she can return to as needed. Woolley uses electric starbursts and lightning bolts to visually punctuate the noises assailing Charlotte—it isn’t subtle, but neither is city life. Readers who feel similarly overwhelmed may take inspiration from the way that Charlotte discovers mindfulness on her own terms. Ages 3–8. (Aug.)