This is a very cute, almost gentle story, about an introverted little girl. My son with sensory processing disorder really related to hearing small sounds more than others.

I really enjoyed this book. It will really resonate with kids who are shy or misunderstood. I was quiet as a child and I think my younger self would have really appreciated the main character. It's always nice to see yourself represented in books.

5/5 stars for this sweet, classic, and beautifully illustrated story!

Myra Louise is an introverted little girl who loves the sound of silence. She is always asked by others why she is so quiet all time. In her busy loud world Myra Louise stops and appreciates the stillness around her. She embraces the raindrops, the crickets and even the dryers at the laundromat.

She gets fed up with people always asking her about her quietness so she ponders, reads books, observes, collects many things because Myra Louise has a special plan. Juggling all these finds she heads out to her garage, the quietest place in the whole house, so she can begin her plan can become reality.

The hours fly by and Myra Louise builds a listening machine that just may answer why she is quiet so everyone will finally understand. She journeys with her machine turned on so she might discover why some things are quiet too. Will her exploration of being still and silent convince others to give it a try?

The illustrations are charming and beautifully done. The book is a tender challenge for children ( and adults too ) to be silent observant listeners of their surroundings. Take heed... the world has lots to teach us in its silence but one has to be quiet to absorb it! I highly recommend this book. Well done!

Darling illustrations. This book is perfect to read with quiet kids, or to read with extrovert kids who have difficulty understanding their quiet friends/ siblings.

I really related to this book. As a child, people always commented on me being quiet all the time. By the time I was a teenager, the running joke was that I needed to beep so my friends knew I was still with them. It definitely wasn't a great feeling to have everyone think something was wrong with me because I wasn't as outgoing and loud as them. Luckily as an adult I've realized that I am a lot happier being quiet and introverted rather than trying to fit in with others. I loved that the heroine in this story found a way to express to others how she felt.

Reading the description for this book I was immediately interested as I related to the topic of being quiet as a child and even into adulthood I remember this exact question, Why Are You So Quiet? It was usually in a tone that doesn't make you feel good about a part of who you are.

This book made sure to address that feeling by mentioning how the protagonist felt smaller overtime. The story continues with highlights of the strengths to being an introvert- a good listener, thinker, observer, and even reader. I saw this as beautiful and clearly written from an author who lived this experience. I love this book for children who may not understand how their introverted nature is an asset.

I like the moments where she's enjoying her time doing things she loves. She finds her voice in the end by speaking up and saying, I'm listening. I also enjoyed the illustrations.

Everyone that Myra Louise knows keeps asking her why she is so quiet, from her teacher, to her classmates, and even her mom, everyone wants to know. Everyone. Myra Louise has no answer, but she begins to search for the answer to the never-ending question by going to the Laundromat and listening to the quietest dryer, and asking the dryer why it is so quiet, but it is hard to hear an answer, the only sounds she hears are the sounds of clothes tumbling around inside.

So she reads books about inventing and tinkering and building, and before long she’s made a listening machine.

When the raindrops begin, she takes her listening machine outside and turns it on, and whispers her question, asking the rain why it is so quiet? And while she isn’t answered in words, the sound of the rain is so captivating she stays and listens. And when the rain stops, she turns on her listening machine once more, and then listens to the music of the crickets’ evening song.

Sharing what she’s ‘captured’ on her machine is her way to show others why she’s so quiet, and what can be discovered by listening, and Myra Louise finds how much joy there is in sharing her experience, and finding a friend who appreciates the value of listening.

With charming, lovely illustrations this story encourages such a wonderful value in young children. Listening, thinking, and watching the world around us adds value to all the things we say, and do. And, really, wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone would listen ?



Pub Date: 08 Sep 2020

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Annick Press Ltd., Annick Press

Having been a quiet child myself this book resonated with me. The constant question, why are you so quiet? I loved how the girl finds a way to show the value of listening rather than constant speech.

A picture book for introverted children. The ones who prefer to listen rather than speak. This story takes you on the journey with Myra Lousise as she tries to find the answer to the question she is always asked, “What Are You So Quiet?”. I thought the story and the illustrations were sweet and lovely.

A beautiful children's book about a girl who prefers the quiet, solitude, and observing her world. This book would be perfect for children who prefer the quiet or are shy and feel different.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.

"Why Are You So Quiet" is the book my family needed! Hailing from the pen of Jaclyn Desforges, this book tells the story of a young girl who prefers to be quiet. The people around her don't understand why she doesn't speak up more often. The girl decides to create something that will highlight the beauty of life found when someone is quiet.

Our family loved this book. As a parent of quiet kids, I cheered when I started reading this to my little ones. The story rings true and there are so many great examples of things that people can hear when they just sit and listen. I was pleasantly pleased with this book. It was creative, touching and meaningful! It was fun to watch my little ones connect with the main character and her situation!

This is such a lovely book with a great message. I feel like the first one I took from it is how kids react to other kids being loud when they want quiet. While that may seem uncommon it makes it amazing to have it spoke on her, then to have second message of slowing down to listen was really great. This sparked a lot of great discussions between the kids about what we can hear and why we should. Thank you so much for the great opportunity and for a book that I can read and love with my little ones.

Thank you Netgally and the author for the gifted copy, all thoughts are completely my own.

I thought this book was pretty cute and the illustrations are beautiful. I realize this is a children's book but I was under the impression it was building up to something but nothing happened. The way it ended as well seemed "unfinished".

3 stars

A absolutely darling and heartwarming story about the beauty of being quiet and listening, I found the artwork to be gorgeous and so so beautiful. The story about a young girl who is quiet and just trying to find someone who will listen was sweet. I highly recommend this book for all the quiet souls out there.

Why Are You So Quiet? by Jaclyn Desforges is a lovely ode to the introverted. In an increasingly loud world that seems to reward the extroverted, those whose natural inclination is toward quiet are often seen as odd and unrelatable. Myra Louise, like most introverts, is tired of being asked why she is so quiet, and sets out to seek answers from other mostly silent entities. But the deeper Myra Louise delves into this question, the more she is empowered by an ability to really listen to what can often be expressed without the need for any words at all. This is a powerful story that will ring true for any child whose quietness has ever made them feel different in a hectic and noisy world.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Annick Press Ltd. for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Being a quiet person who often garners question and commentary from others on that particular trait, I was drawn to this book. This is the story of little Myra Louise who finds herself in just this situation. She calmly goes about observing and thinking to see if she can find an answer from other quiet things.

This is a cute story with pleasant illustrations. It is the quiet ones who know just how much can be learned from listening. I enjoy how Myra Louise invites others to join her in that endeavor.