Listen

April 19, 2021
In this book about auditory stimulus, Snyder (Two Dogs on a Trike) shows the steps behind taking cacophony apart, noise by noise. When a child with brown skin, dot eyes, and pigtail puffs steps out of a doorway and onto a city street, they’re assailed by a wall of sound: a car says “BEEP!” while motor-scooters “VROOM!” and a moving van booms. “Listen,” says the narrator. “Can you hear each sound?” The child pauses and closes their eyes, picturing the car, the scooter, and the other noise sources in vignettes, each one now distinct. At school, listening continues: playground sounds, storytime sounds, “words of joy... and words that can sting.” A classmate’s feelings are hurt: “Can you hear what she’s feeling, too? A sob, a sigh, or even silence.” Dusk falls, and Graegin (Fern and Otto) portrays city streets in a blue twilight that’s studded with glowing lamps: “Listen... to nighttime hush and whispers.” Back matter contains more about the sense of hearing (“The key difference between hearing and listening is attention”), including bottom-up, top-down, and startle responses. Snyder offers an introduction to mental focus, a skill whose enhancement may serve readers struggling to filter through a din. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Natalie Lakosil, Bradford Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

May 1, 2021
Readers are encouraged to take a moment to listen to every sound around them. Sometimes the "big, wild world" is full of noise. But "what if you stop, close your eyes, and LISTEN? Can you hear each sound?" A dog, a crow; a teakettle, a "hello." New words in school, the sounds of feelings; the rain, the wind, the quiet? While a narrator addresses readers, asking them to listen past the noise, the illustrations show a brown-skinned kid with two Afro puffs starting the day on a busy street, walking to school with dad, who presents White, and spending time with friends. The pictures conclude with bedtime scenes with a mother figure, who is Black, and broad views of the neighborhood at night. Through sensory engagement, the narrative offers a fresh way to engage with the world, showing that even when the surroundings seem overwhelming, one has the power of attention--useful for learning, calm, empathy, and more. The combination of city scenes and machines, human families and groups, nature and pets creates a vision of harmony in which all creatures play a part. The blue color scheme accented with red parallels the text's soothing tone while colored and styled font accents support the idea of listening and distinguishing between sounds and words. Endmatter defines different modes of hearing and responding to sounds. (This book was reviewed digitally.) This book makes a memorable experience. (Picture book. 3-9)

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May 1, 2021
Preschool-Grade 2 A girl walks to school with her father one day, noticing the noise of the city and listening to individual sounds. Near the schoolyard, the clamor of cars and trucks gives way to the rhythmic thump of a jump rope and a friend's "hello!" Some sounds during the school day make her happy, and though "words that sting" cause tears, she comforts her distressed friend by sitting with her and tuning into her emotions. Walking home after school, the girl hears the wind in the trees. Evening brings a quiet end to her day. "What can you hear? Rumble of belly. Whoosh of breath. Can you hear the voice inside you?" Digitally rendered with pencil and watercolor elements, the attractive artwork uses cool blues, greens, and grays with touches of orange as accents. The story line emerges mainly in the illustrations, while the precisely worded text focuses on sounds and, in closing, suggests dealing with the world's noise by listening "to everything waiting to be heard." An evocative read-aloud choice for classroom units on the senses.

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