Jacki’s mama has a rare condition. She is slowly losing her hearing. Together, they are learning Sign Language so that they’ll always be able to tell each other everything. But as Mama’s world becomes quieter, Jacki’s remains full of sound, especially on Music Appreciation Fridays. How can Jacki enjoy listening to music when her mama can no longer hear it? A heartfelt story, inspired by the author’s childhood, about a young girl coming to terms with her mother’s hearing loss and finding new ways to experience the world together.
UKLA Book Awards Longlist 2025
Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year
Schneider Family Book Award Finalist
Featured in the New York Times 2023
Listed on Kirkus’ 150 Most Anticipated Books of the Fall
50 Best Books for Reception by Books For Topics
Inclusive Books for Children Top Pick
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Cassie Silva is an author and social worker of Portuguese heritage living in Vancouver, Canada. Her work has been published in six Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies and The New York Times.
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Frances Ives has an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art. Her most abiding source of inspiration is the constant yet ever-changing sky and all its colours.
“Inspired by her own childhood, Silva’s narrative is honest and compassionate, and Frances Ives’s illustrations enhance that authenticity. The climax occurs two-thirds of the way through the book on a double-page spread, with mother and daughter seated at opposite ends of a classroom full of singing children, each with a finger pointed at the other. Forget the Sistine Chapel ceiling; these are the two fingers that define how far the human mind can reach. Listening to the Quiet celebrates the community around Jacki and her mother, and signals to us — fingers pointed — that loving others is the loudest language of all.”
- The New York Times
“A personal, child-friendly approach to sensory changes. This gently loving story will be especially appreciated by readers whose family members, friends, or classmates are experiencing hearing loss.”
- Kirkus Reviews
“Created with mixed media, including gouache, watercolour, coloured pencil, and digital elements, the illustrations feature soft lines, rich colours, and an aura of warmth and security that captures the tone of the text. An inviting, informative read-aloud choice for classes studying the senses and children curious about deafness.”
- Booklist
“This beautifully inclusive story resounds with hope. It is a celebration of a relationship not defined by disability, but by love. The story shows that deafness does not have to isolate. It can deepen wonder, inspire mutual respect and be life-enhancing. (The Author’s Note gives context and encourages readers to learn sign language.) The clear font and large, expressive illustrations mean that teachers can easily share this with a whole class, either to celebrate diversity or when teaching about acceptance. Not all children will have encountered hearing impairment, but all will benefit from this new perspective, as well as provided much needed representation for those who live with hearing impairment in the day to day realities. Highly recommended for the school library and classroom book corners.”
- Books For Topics
