'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Tuesday 16 April 2019

Review: A Quiet Girl

Mary is quiet. She steps quietly. She speaks quietly.

This means Mary hears things many people don’t tend to notice. It also means lots of people don’t tend to notice her. 

Including her family. 

When Mary’s family suddenly can’t find her, they yell and call across the neighbourhood, making a ruckus as they search for her. 

But Mary is a quiet girl, and finding her requires a quiet solution.

A Quiet Girl is a beautiful story from Australian picture book master Peter Carnavas. It’s a story about the now — about how crazy and loud our world has become and about the joys of finding the quiet and rediscovering the beauty of the world if only we stop and listen.

It’s also a story about family and individuality. We are not always the same as the other members of our family, and this is okay. It’s okay to be different.

This is a stunning story with heartfelt and inspiring themes brought to life by Carnavas’s whimsical text and his magical illustrations. The beautifully soft colours will warm your heart and Carnavas’s way with perspective and character emotion with the simplest of tweaks will wow you with every turn of the page.

A Carnavas picture book is like a great big hug that makes you stop and appreciate things. His books are always thought provoking, but in such gentle ways, which I find perfect for igniting important and interesting conversations with kids in a way they can understand and relate to.

Beautiful, whimsical, engaging and heartwarming — another Peter Carnavas winner!

Title: A Quiet Girl
Author/Illustrator: Peter Carnavas
Publisher: UQP, $24.99
Publication Date: 2 April 2019
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9780702260025
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book