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The Christmas Quiet Book | November 14, 2012

by Debra Underwood illustrated by Renata Liwiska (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Books, Oct. 2012)

As the title suggests, The Christmas Quiet Book by Debra Underwood and Renata Liwiska does for Christmastime what The Quiet Book did for everyday life; it celebrates the many kinds of calm that punctuate our otherwise busy lives. From “Lights on quiet” and “Blown fuse quiet” to “Shattered ornament quiet” and “Note to Santa quiet”, Underwood’s text captures the wonder, anticipation, peacefulness, and gratitude of the holiday season. Liwiska’s gently drawn scenes of woodland creature families beautifully convey a sense of community and tradition, and may nudge nostalgic readers to reminisce about holiday traditions of their own. Together, the text and illustrations have an almost zen-like calming effect on the reader.

The real magic of The Christmas Quiet Book, however, rests in what it inspires. Readers won’t be able to help seeking out and naming quiet moments of their own while they prepare for Christmas. This reviewer would add “Munching on roasted chestnuts quiet”, “Stringing popcorn and cranberries quiet”, “Santa really got my letter quiet,” and “Last note of Silent Night quiet”. In today’s commercial holiday climate, The Christmas Quiet Book may be the perfect gift for those seeking relief from the hustle and bustle of Christmastime.

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