Listening to the Quiet by Cassie Silva
Illustrated by Frances Ives
Hardback picture book published by Lantana Publishing 7th September 2023
For ages 4-9 years
Pages 82
ISBN 9781915244482
Jacki’s Mama has a rare condition. She is slowly losing her hearing. Together, they are learning Signs Language so that they’ll always be able to tell each other everything. But as Mama’s world becomes quieter, Jacki’s remains full of sound, especially on Music Appreciation Fridays. How can Jacki enjoy listening to the music when her Mama can no longer hear it?
MY REVIEW
With me being partly deaf in my right ear, this is why I wanted to read this book, it is one, children’s book that is very special to me.
I totally understood the importance of Listening to the Quiet. Jacki, is a little girl living with her Mama, who is slowly losing her hearing.
Jacki and her Mama have a special bond communicating through sign language. At school Jacki puts on a show for mum, singing her favourite song where her mama can appreciate music by feeling it’s vibrations, just like Rosie in Strictly Come Dancing who is deaf did throughout her dance routines, she also could feel the music through vibrations.
With Jacki’s Mama not able to hear, she is learning to listen to the quiet, and that’s exactly what deaf people hear quiet. I adored the beautiful illustrations.
This is a touching but beautiful story no one will ever forget! Listening to the quiet is an heartfelt story, inspired by the author’s childhood, about a young girl coming to terms with her mother’s hearing loss and finding new ways to experience the world together.
I don’t know if bloggers, publishers, and pr blog tour organisers know this, but I’m partly deaf in one ear, Being partly deaf, means I can’t hold my mobile phone to my right ear as I won’t hear anything at all. I always need subtitles on the television, without subtitles I would need the television up very loud to hear everything correctly. This is why I read so much because I don’t watch that much TV. Being partly deaf means sometimes, if can’t hear someone I will try to lip read, them. I would love to read audio books, but fear I would have to have it up too loud disturbing my family, so that why I only read physical copies.
Being partly deaf in one ear means I can’t go to book events as I’m frightened I won’t hear everything that is being said, by an author talking, or in large groups of people that gather around talking, it worries me I won’t hear everything, therefore I won’t able to join in with the conversation.
To look at me no one would know that I’m partly deaf as my speech is clear as yours, as I wasn’t born partly deaf in one ear. I had an ear infection from about the age of 8 or 9, and lost parts of hearing through it. The hospital back then wouldn’t give me a hearing aid as they said I would rely on it for hearing. I know I should really get another hearing test.
About writer Cassie Siva
Cassie Silva is an author and social worker of Portuguese heritage living in Vancouver, Canada. Her work has been published in six Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies and The New York Times.
Thank you so much Insta book tours for selecting me to take part part in this special children’s book blog tour.
Bookread2day 