Quiet Please!

Gr 2-4–In this early chapter book, third-grader Twig lives in a tiny house with her sister and parents, and alone time is hard to come by. But Twig needs quiet if she is going to win her school read-a-thon and help her class earn the bowling party prize. Younger sister Turtle practices blowing bubbles and provides impromptu tours of their close living quarters, and the whole family is distracting Twig from her work. On the soccer field, Twig gets a chance to play goalie, but is disappointed when she misses two saves. After Twig stays up too late trying to log reading hours and accidentally falls asleep at school, her parents suggest a new daily habit at home. Twig learns to declare quiet time in her own mind, and is able to focus on her next soccer match. She wrestles with contradictory feelings that many children may relate to, such as wanting to be the best but also be a team player, loving and being frustrated with her little sister, and craving alone time but not wanting too much of a good thing. In this warm, heartfelt story, funny and detailed narration from exasperated Twig emphasizes her lack of privacy, and vivid descriptions will plant readers right there in the tiny house. Franco’s illustrations pair seamlessly with the text, and at different times emphasize the joy, sadness, humor, and determination of Twig’s family and the cast of characters in her neighborhood.