MY QUIET PLACE

A youngster finds peace in daily life and shows readers how they can, too.

Narrated by a Black child, this gentle, soothing picture book is made up of a continuous internal monologue in which the speaker shares various quiet places sought out and created at home, at school, and among the community at large. These small refuges aren’t always physical places; sometimes they’re the child’s way of blocking out sound or finding a way to stay grounded when the world gets to be too much. Whether the protagonist retreats to “the sunny chair in the school library,” achieves calmness by wearing headphones on a crowded bus, or finds comfort in “a steady hand to hold” (in this case, the hand of a Black adult), this youngster emerges as a resourceful, self-aware child with the inner resources to navigate small, day-to-day stressors. In a nice added touch, the narrator also models awareness of others’ feelings; at one point, the protagonist notices another child at a party who seems overstimulated (the image shows the kid in a hands-over-ears position). “I share my quiet when someone else may need a bit, as well,” reads text accompanying the next illustration of the two children coloring together. Digital illustrations feature vibrant colors but set an appropriately reassuring tone.

A lovely tale featuring a protagonist sure to be a true friend to easily overwhelmed children.