The Loud Book!

Starred review from February 21, 2011
The colors are a bit brighter and the type is set all in caps, but this sequel to The Quiet Book stars the same gang of fuzzy creatures and is every bit as charming. Many of the "louds" are found in school—there's "WALKING-TO-SCHOOL SONG LOUD" and "BURP DURING QUIET TIME LOUD." Playful details abound; the bowling bear who makes a strike ("GOOD CRASH LOUD") in one panel is seen bowling on a fuzzy TV screen in the next. A father rabbit who's watching TV hears a dreadful noise in the kitchen ("BAD CRASH LOUD"); careful inspection reveals that the small rabbit sitting on top of the television is reading The Quiet Book. Liwska's artwork, as always, is noteworthy for its depth and warmth. The expressions on the faces of her animals convey community, even intimacy; they often appear to have been deep in conversation just before being interrupted by a deafening crash. Fans of the first book will be delighted to extend their bedtime reading time with the second, and they'll welcome the chance to pump up the volume. Ages 4–8.

March 1, 2011
For each kind of quiet found in Underwood and Liwska's Quiet Book (2010) there are now just as many kinds of LOUD! Written with the same grace and economy, the short glimpses of "louds" range from good to bad and every clanging in between. The day starts with "alarm clock loud," showing little rabbit desperately trying to muffle the sound with a pillow wrapped round his ears. There is also the embarrassing "dropping your lunch tray loud" and the ever-agonizing "candy wrapper loud" (in a quiet theater, of course). But surprisingly, some louds have no sound at all, like the "deafening silence loud" of getting caught doing something wrong. Eschewing noise lines and other dramatic visuals—save for the title and copyright page where the words burst forth at sharp, diagonal angles—Liwska instead shows mouths open in loud roars, boisterous crowds and hands over tortured ears. The text, written in all caps, doesn't necessarily shout, but it does sneak in an urgent edge. The overall format of fuzzy illustrations and sweet simplicity of moments suited its quiet predecessor a bit better, but the collaborators have created a worthy companion to their previous success. (Picture book. 4-8)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

Starred review from May 1, 2011

PreS-Gr 1-The complete opposite of the delightful The Quiet Book (Houghton Harcourt, 2010), this deliciously worthy companion title earns "applause loud." The familiar fuzzy little bears and bunnies act out snapshots of "loud," such as fire truck day at school, which finds a bucket full of critters atop a tall ladder, and giving a "surprise loud" at an unexpected arrival of a skeleton from an anatomy class. Liwska's soft-focus pencil illustrations create anticipation with "bad crash loud," making readers guess what may have happened offstage. The facial features and bright awestruck eyes express recognizable feelings for "fireworks loud." The text is printed in all capital letters which reinforces the sense of noise. The author and illustrator challenge youngsters with their humorous depiction of "deafening silence loud" as Mother catches little hands in the cookie jar. Act out a few of these moments during storytime for a joyous romp.-Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.