You Don't Have to be Loud: A Quiet Kid's Guide to Being Heard

The information sections ranged widely from David Bowie's shyness to a potted history of Christian hermits; from Joe Biden's childhood stutter to forest bathing in Japan.  Out of context, this sounds a little random but there is an internal logic within the book.  In our extrovert world, I think it is helpful for children to be aware of long traditions of silence, meditation and the desire to be alone.  For those who, like me, find being with others tiring, it is reassuring to hear that it's quite normal to want to be by yourself some of the time.

I did, however, have serious misgivings about other parts of the book.  Context is everything and every young person is different; one person's experience cannot always be used as the template for helping another.  General guidance can be open to misinterpretation.  Some of the advice is no doubt given in good faith but the superficiality of it seemed worryingly naive to me.  

Urging children to find like-minded people on the internet because you can't find them in real life needs way more explanation and safeguards than a double page spread exhorting the reader to be careful with the internet.  Similarly, encouraging children not to care what other people think needs qualifications.  Of course, it's not helpful to waste time worrying about what others think about your taste in clothes or music.  But is it fine not to care what other people think about the way you treat other people?