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In a roomful of kids, eager to participate in show and tell, my introverted son would rather avoid the whole process altogether. He hated being the center of attention, still does. And, as an introvert who is exhausted after events that involve pretending to be an extrovert, I feel his pain.
Enter Milly.
You don’t have to read the narrative to see what’s going on here. Can you spot Milly? Ha! The one hiding behind a book and a few other classroom items.
In a noisy classroom where everyone wanted to be heard,
Milly was the quiet one.
She wasn't sure if she didn't have anything to say, or just
didn't know how to say it.
It’s so hard for kids to parse their feelings. Why does she feel this way? She’s not sure.
Either way, she dreaded Show and Tell.
She would hide in her secret place,
fretting over how to avoid it.
Milly, I get it. I’ve been there. But the world (and your teacher) will not allow you to hide forever. When Milly first hides in her secret place, she shows the reader that she is a builder, a maker of things. And it turns out that one of her creations will help her when Show & Tell comes knocking.
Milly turns a cleaning robot into a brand new robot, one that talks. And it is the talking robot that helps her finally claim her voice and be heard.
Introverts will see themselves in the pages of this book, and know they are in good company. And perhaps a few extroverts (and teachers) will have more empathy for those who aren’t waving their hands wildly to participate in class. Lee’s watercolor and pencil illustrations (with digital editing) do an excellent job of portraying an introvert, among a diverse group of children who are anything but that.
The book will be available on March 4, 2025, so get your preorders in now or ask your library to order!
Activities:
Check out the ways a teacher can support an introverted child in the classroom, and how parents can help their introverted children.
Make origami robots.
Watch this TED Talk about the benefits of being an extrovert by Susan Cain.
Write or draw a story about a time when you were afraid to speak up. What made you finally talk? Or if you didn’t, can you imagine something that would have helped you make your voice heard?
Title: The Quiet One
Author/Illustrator: Yiting Lee
Publisher: Eerdmanns Books for Young Readers, Mar 4, 2025
Ages: Elementary school
Themes: introversion, being heard
For more perfect picture book recommendations, please visit Susanna Hill’s website.
I think many children will connect with Milly because standing in front of a group of people can be intimidating. It usually takes a topic a child is excited about sharing to get them out of their shell. I’ll ask my library to order a copy of this important book.
So very true, Leslie. There are plenty of introverts out in the world, including me. Thank you so much for requesting at your library, Leslie!
I wish I had this book when I was young!
Me, too!!
This sounds like the perfect book for children (and adults) who are uncomfortable in big groups.
Yes, yes, yes!!! As Teresa said, I wish I’d had this book when I was a kid. And I still need it as an adult, LOL.
Funny how some – like me – love big groups and also don’t care for crowds! This looks really cute; will definitely check it out! Ta, Jilanne!
Sometimes I think it has to do with the vibe embodied by the group. Sometimes just the overwhelm of noise and visual stimulation.
Yup!