I Am Quiet: A Story for the Introvert in All of Us

Powers’s children’s book debut begins by introducing readers to its introverted narrator, Emile, who immediately makes a clear distinction: “I am quiet. Grown-ups tell me, ‘Don’t be shy.’ But I am not shy. I AM QUIET.” Emile explains to readers that though “I am quiet on the outside... on the inside, my imagination shouts loudly and runs wild.” As Sir Emile, the armor-clad youth cavorts with fierce dragons; as a ship’s captain, “I salute the biggest whale.” Though Emile shows a quieter face externally, the child is intensely engaged with the world, proving an inventive artist as well as a close, empathic observer of nature (“I hear quiet scuttling beneath the earth”), and a good friend. And while classmates “are full of answers and ready to burst,” Emile is fine whispering answers softly inward. In unlined art, Petersen (Happy Puppy, Angry Tiger) foregrounds the tan-skinned figure atop minimalist settings, but the child’s calm, confident demeanor thwarts any impulse to project feelings of loneliness—whether readers gain energy from solo time or from a group, they will find much to admire in this book’s protagonist, who is comfortable in the world and in their skin. An author’s note concludes. Ages 3–7. (Apr.)