Quiet! by Kate Alizadeh

Image

Figure 1. Quiet! book cover (2019).

Evaluation of Book

Quiet! by Kate Alizadeh is a story about the sounds we hear every day in life. In this story, a little kid talks to the reader, reminding the reader to be quiet. Then when the reader turns the page, there are different sounds to identify and figure out where they are coming from over the duration of a day. The story starts with the dad cleaning dishes while breakfast is being made and ends with bed time where the little kid sleeps.

Quiet! focuses on music in language. Most items in each room are labeled with light gray words, showing the noise that they make, even if they are not being used at that time. While these are not part of the main text, they drive the story. In the kitchen, the pan rattles due to the water bubbling while the water sloshes as dad cleans the dishes: “Rattle,” “Bubble,” and “Slosh”. However, the trashcan is not in use but is labeled, “Clank.” Throughout the book, these types of labels continue, showing sounds. (Alizadeh, 2017)

One great aspect of Quiet! is how the illustrations reinforce the text. When the text talks about tapping or banging, the pictures show these things happening. And when the little kid plays in the bathtub, the text along with the gray labels shows this occurring along with the noises that are made. Therefore, the illustrations help the reader visually see what the text explains.

At the same time, the illustrations establish the setting. Each room that is entered, like the kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom, have extra details added by the pictures provided. First, each room is bright and cheery. Then the items in the room let the reader know what is in each room. For the kitchen, the reader sees the blender, the kettle, and trashcan along with everything that is mentioned in the text. Also, the layout of the rooms is shown. These all add to the story.

Response

While reading Quiet! by Kate Alizadeh, all I could think about was my son. He loves to sit and listen to the sounds of the rooms in the morning and during the day. His goal is to identify all the sounds and know what is happening. It is a bit of a game for him. This allows the family a moment of peace while also bonding, so I do personally care about this. Plus, the text was fun to read. The fact that the reader was talked to by the protagonist while getting to read the sounds of each item put a smile on my face.

Conclusion

Quiet! by Kate Alizadeh is a fun read for Pre-K to Second Grade. Children will enjoy the pictures while trying to pronounce all of the sounds the items make. Out of four stars, I give this book a four.

Citation

Alizadeh, K. (2017). Quiet! Auburn, ME: Child’s Play Inc.

Willis, C. (2019). Quiet! book cover (photo). Retrieved April 28, 2019 from https://drive.google.com/file/d/16O4psZIZ8UbtR7Jx1nN6v-X2RmECrcRl/view?usp=sharing