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

How could I not read a book with a title like this? Anyone who knows me knows that I’m happiest in my own company. If I spend time with people, I need to unwind; I need my quiet time. Yet, as a child, I was noisy and talkative, unlike Emile, the protagonist of I Am Quiet. 

Adults keep telling Emile not to be shy, but the truth is that he isn’t shy at all. He is just quiet. On the inside he has imaginative, colourful worlds that are vibrant and exciting. They are enough for him.

I smiled page after page as I read about the places Emile inhabits in his head. The  quiet confidence of an imaginative child comes through with each word, and the gentleness of the story won my heart. I love how the book is designed too, with the white space all around him showing how quiet he seems to the world outside, and the colour within that shows how perfectly happy he is. 

Like so many lovely picture books, I Am Quiet is meant for children as well as adults. Even as an adult, it helped me feel seen. Like Emile, I am often quiet. But on the inside, it’s another story. What a lovely book!