Listening to the Quiet by Cassie Silva is a story of a young girl named Jacki and her mother who has progressive hearing loss, inspired by the author's childhood. A brief author's note shares Silva's own story and doubles as a classroom resource. This book provides representation for children of deaf adults (or CODAs), Black and brown families, and Deaf individuals. This kind of layered representation matters because the Deaf community is far from monolithic, and children's literature rarely reflects that. The narrative also allows insight into accessibility needs in homes with Deaf parents. For instance, the author emphasizes the use of closed captions and alerting devices like flashing smoke alarms and lights for doorbells.
"This kind of layered representation matters because the Deaf community is far from monolithic, and children's literature rarely reflects that."
Frances Ives's soft, painterly illustrations wrap the story in warm, muted tones that invite readers into Jacki's world. A notable theme of this book is the profound bond between Jacki and her mother, showcased as they embark on a journey of learning sign language together. What stands out in Jacki's perspective is her optimism toward learning a new language for her mother, a reframing of challenge as connection rather than burden. We also see Jacki's guilt for being hearing transform into a sense of family pride. She became confident enough to meld her home and school life by teaching her classmates about Deaf culture, finding joy in music, play, and connection along the way. This story advocates for the importance of entire families embracing sign language to foster or maintain deep connections within the household. Listening to the Quiet is a meaningful classroom companion for preschool through 3rd grade, and an especially resonant choice during any celebration of Deaf culture.