Kid Lit Village Book Review: When I Listen to Silence

Ahhhh. Silence. There’s something calming, relaxing about it. Silence provides opportunities for the heart and mind to open to new possibilities and that’s what Jean E. Pendziwol’s picture book is all about. Carmon Monk provides adorable illustrations on this journey of the imagination. Published by Groundwood Books, April 1, 2022.

Review:

This lyrical picture book takes children on a journey of imagination and explores how creativity can be found in quiet moments. Children and their parents will both enjoy the magical journey, visiting dancing bears, dragons, pirates, planets, mermaids and whales all from the comfort of home while the trees sway outside the window.

Background:

I was fortunate to have Jean E. Pendziwol as a mentor while working on my picture book, Aria, the story of a little star finding her place in the universe. Jean E. helped me think deeply about Aria, developing her character and a connection to the child as the reader. With Jean’s mentorship, I feel I have been able to take my writing to a new level. I am grateful to have had this opportunity through SCBWI. Jean E. is the author of several picture books and a novel, The Lightkeeper’s Daughter. She also has a food blog with some great recipes.