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Silence
ForeWord Book of the Year Bronze Medalist
What can you hear when you are completely silent?
Is that the wind blowing? Birds chirping? Sun shining? World whirling?
Maybe a car engine or faraway plane? Maybe kids laughing or playing tag?
Be still. Listen. Focus on the now. What do you hear? By paying attention to what is otherwise lost in our noisy world, you can develop your imagination and curiosity and learn a lot more about yourself.
Beautifully illustrated and gently written, Silence encourages children to stop, listen, and reflect on their experiences and the world around them. Using qualities of mindfulness and peaceful meditation, readers are asked to pay attention to what otherwise gets lost in our noisy environment. By centering oneself in the present and listening to those sounds, children can learn to become more self-aware and comfortable with their own thoughts and feelings, and use all this as a means to develop imagination and curiosity. Silence may even help children learn a little more about themselves.
What can you hear when you are completely silent?
Is that the wind blowing? Birds chirping? Sun shining? World whirling?
Maybe a car engine or faraway plane? Maybe kids laughing or playing tag?
Be still. Listen. Focus on the now. What do you hear? By paying attention to what is otherwise lost in our noisy world, you can develop your imagination and curiosity and learn a lot more about yourself.
Beautifully illustrated and gently written, Silence encourages children to stop, listen, and reflect on their experiences and the world around them. Using qualities of mindfulness and peaceful meditation, readers are asked to pay attention to what otherwise gets lost in our noisy environment. By centering oneself in the present and listening to those sounds, children can learn to become more self-aware and comfortable with their own thoughts and feelings, and use all this as a means to develop imagination and curiosity. Silence may even help children learn a little more about themselves.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
About the author
Carme Lemniscates
21 books10 followersCarme Lemniscates is the author, illustrator and designer of several critically acclaimed children's books including Trees (2017), Birds (2019), Seeds (2020), and El jardín mágico, for which she won the 2017 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award. She has also illustrated Jennifer Adams's I Am a Warrior Goddess (2018), Kate Coombs's BabyLit Little Poets board book series, and Hillary and Chelsea Clinton's Grandma's Gardens (2020).
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
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October 11, 2019Lovely illustrations and sweet message about mindfulness.
July 26, 2021
A picture book that encourages creative thinking and observation skills when remaining silent (or taking a natural pause) to notice what or who is around us.
February 14, 2013
Silence, by the illustration studio of artists and designers known as Lemniscates, invites children to pause, listen, and reflect on the sounds of the natural world around them. There is a true stillness to the collage-like illustrations, and a simplicity to the gentle narrative. I would definitely use this book with primary and elementary students to encourage sensory awareness (during a science unit on the five senses, perhaps) and to develop creative writing skills.
June 23, 2012
This is a great book for an interactive storytime!
Storytime Idea:
First reading: Place post-it notes over the sentences and ask the kids what they imagine hearing based on the pictures.
Second reading: Remove post-its (or let the kids take turns) page by page while reading.
Storytime Idea:
First reading: Place post-it notes over the sentences and ask the kids what they imagine hearing based on the pictures.
Second reading: Remove post-its (or let the kids take turns) page by page while reading.
June 18, 2018
This is another picture book gem my daughter grabbed at the library, this week. It’s a little older than the books I normally share in my weekly #imwayr posts, but it’s still pretty and might prove helpful. So... in a nutshell, the text is a free-verse poem on mindfulness — it allows the reader to slow down and listen to the world around them. Young children might be asked to look at each new spread and anticipate what the new sounds will be on each page. At the same time, this would make a very nice bedtime book to unwind at the end of a busy day!
I had never heard of Lemniscates before seeing this book. In the back of the book there’s a notation that says, “Lemniscates is an illustration studio of artists and designers located in Barcelona. Their creative and imaginative books spark curiosity in children of all ages, and encourage children to develop their unique talents and skills for a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.”
For more kidlit, MGlit, and YAlit book reviews, please visit my book review blog: The Miller Memo.
I had never heard of Lemniscates before seeing this book. In the back of the book there’s a notation that says, “Lemniscates is an illustration studio of artists and designers located in Barcelona. Their creative and imaginative books spark curiosity in children of all ages, and encourage children to develop their unique talents and skills for a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.”
For more kidlit, MGlit, and YAlit book reviews, please visit my book review blog: The Miller Memo.
March 4, 2021
What can you hear when you are completely silent?
Is that the wind blowing? Birds chirping? Sun shining? World whirling?
Maybe a car engine or faraway plane? Maybe kids laughing or playing tag?
Be still. Listen. Focus on the now. What do you hear? By paying attention to what is otherwise lost in our noisy world, you can develop your imagination and curiosity and learn a lot more about yourself.
Beautifully illustrated and gently written, Silence encourages children to stop, listen, and reflect on their experiences and the world around them. Using qualities of mindfulness and peaceful meditation, readers are asked to pay attention to what otherwise gets lost in our noisy environment. By centering oneself in the present and listening to those sounds, children can learn to become more self-aware and comfortable with their own thoughts and feelings, and use all this as a means to develop imagination and curiosity. Silence may even help children learn a little more about themselves.
Is that the wind blowing? Birds chirping? Sun shining? World whirling?
Maybe a car engine or faraway plane? Maybe kids laughing or playing tag?
Be still. Listen. Focus on the now. What do you hear? By paying attention to what is otherwise lost in our noisy world, you can develop your imagination and curiosity and learn a lot more about yourself.
Beautifully illustrated and gently written, Silence encourages children to stop, listen, and reflect on their experiences and the world around them. Using qualities of mindfulness and peaceful meditation, readers are asked to pay attention to what otherwise gets lost in our noisy environment. By centering oneself in the present and listening to those sounds, children can learn to become more self-aware and comfortable with their own thoughts and feelings, and use all this as a means to develop imagination and curiosity. Silence may even help children learn a little more about themselves.
October 23, 2019
An esoteric picture book extolling the virtues of sitting in contemplative silence to encourage listening to what's around you.
Not recommended for storytime but would be good as a one-on-one conversation starter regarding detachment from devices.
Not recommended for storytime but would be good as a one-on-one conversation starter regarding detachment from devices.
August 1, 2021
This publisher donated copies of this book for my Stags Read program to distribute to kids in my district.
This is a great book to use with students if you're having discussions about mindfullness, self-care, or meditation.
This is a great book to use with students if you're having discussions about mindfullness, self-care, or meditation.
February 24, 2017
My son and I both love Silence by Lemniscates. It's a great book for an active child to read before bed. Both the words and the imagery invoke a quiet mood.
November 26, 2017
In silence there is a multitude of sounds.
August 14, 2018
lovely illustrations and text
July 17, 2020
Silence by Lemniscates is a story related to mindfulness where you stop and listen, feel what is going on around you.
March 7, 2021
Mindfulness for the very young (and all of us)
April 12, 2022
I read this today with my son in his yoga class.
February 4, 2023
Find the quiet. Still yourself, even in movement. Listen. Listen deeply. Hear. (With this message, how can this book be on a library discard pile?)
September 2, 2015
This is a sweet gem. The artwork beautifully accompanies the text, which follows a young girl as she listens to the things around her. The word choice is excellent, with selections that invite one to pause and imagine sound, and which help to reinvent the way one sees the world. For example, bees "love" flowers as they hover close and there is "twinkling" snow. This allows readers to pause and imagine the sounds for themselves instead of providing it for them with onomatopoeic words like "buzz" or "splat." As such, this would work well for sharing in large or small storytimes centered around listening skills, senses, and the four seasons (as they are mentioned). Note: published by the American Psychological Association & the author name refers to a collaborative group of artists based out of Barcelona. Highly recommended.
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November 10, 2014SUMMARY
Silence is a story that encourages readers to really listen to the elements of nature. It explores some of the wonderful aspects of nature. In addition to detailing the wonder of nature, it encourages readers to reflect on the experiences they have had with nature.
ACTIVITY - 3rd grade
Find a time to take students outside. When they are outside encourage them to sit alone and not by a neighbor. Have them take out writing supplies. When they are outside, they will journal and reflecting on the elements of nature that get drowned out in everyday life.
Lemniscates. Silence. N.p.: Magination, 2012. Print.
Silence is a story that encourages readers to really listen to the elements of nature. It explores some of the wonderful aspects of nature. In addition to detailing the wonder of nature, it encourages readers to reflect on the experiences they have had with nature.
ACTIVITY - 3rd grade
Find a time to take students outside. When they are outside encourage them to sit alone and not by a neighbor. Have them take out writing supplies. When they are outside, they will journal and reflecting on the elements of nature that get drowned out in everyday life.
Lemniscates. Silence. N.p.: Magination, 2012. Print.
October 31, 2014
I’d never heard of Leminscates until I read this book. At the end of the book, it’s shared that a goal is to “encourage children to develop their unique talents and skills for a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.” The story is told by a little girl who shares what she notices when she is silent, ‘waves crashing’ or ‘snow twinkling’ and on. The collages that make up the illustrations are gorgeous. Since we do so much nature journaling at my school, it will be a beautiful book to encourage silence, to see what children notice.
May 3, 2014
Illustrations: Mixed Media
A uniquely illustrated mindfulness tool for practicing with young ones. I found it to be very relaxing. Like a mix of meditation and guided imagery.
Published by the American Psychological Association.
"Lemniscates is an illustration studio of artists and designers located in Barcelona."
Mindfulness ~ Ages 4-8.
A uniquely illustrated mindfulness tool for practicing with young ones. I found it to be very relaxing. Like a mix of meditation and guided imagery.
Published by the American Psychological Association.
"Lemniscates is an illustration studio of artists and designers located in Barcelona."
Mindfulness ~ Ages 4-8.
October 20, 2012
This is a great picture book for all ages, reminding us what we can all hear if we just shut up for a while and listen to the sounds of nature. I like how it goes through the different seasons and at the end asks “How many things can you hear?”
February 26, 2015
This intriguing little book was written and illustrated by a studio and not a single author or illustrator. I'm not sure how common that is, but the gently-told tale produced by that collaboration is lovely.
November 9, 2015
Children listen
Nice book for young children. Good illustrations that kids will look at and keep their attention. Story will also engage children in talks about what they hear when they are quiet.
Nice book for young children. Good illustrations that kids will look at and keep their attention. Story will also engage children in talks about what they hear when they are quiet.
September 19, 2012
Nice use of paste paper in the illustrations. Also just a nice book about listening.
April 23, 2013
I loved how the words created visuals in my head. I would actually stop and pause to see if I could imagine what they just wrote.
May 4, 2013
This book became an instant favorite. Very descriptive writing and captured my attention.
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November 4, 2013A surprise hit with my extremely active and voluble 3 year old. Lovely art. Lovely thoughts.
November 5, 2013
A really nice book. I would enjoy sharing it, outside, with a child and talking about different ways of hearing and listening as we read.
January 21, 2016
I really like this book. Helps children (and anyone who reads) to remember to stop and listen to the world around them. very nice!
May 1, 2015
Would be good to use to introduce mindfulness
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews