Quiet Wyatt

PreS-Gr 2—Wyatt loves quiet. His ability to be silent can be quite beneficial. He never made a noise as a tree in the school play. When it comes to being a museum visitor, Wyatt is absolutely perfect. At ninja camp, he was named the "most stealthy." Wyatt may be quiet. but his classmate Noreen is extremely loud. In fact, she is the exact opposite of Wyatt. She is boisterous, outgoing, and fearless. Things become interesting when the two are paired as partners on the class field trip. Wyatt is used to being by himself. Could this partnership change him? Wyatt doesn't say much as Noreen leads him on a trail through poison ivy or as they zipline high above the forest. He says nothing when she tells him the way to paddle a canoe is to stand up on it. Naturally, they lose their balance and splash in to the water. He doesn't yell or scream. He just drips, quietly, of course. Finally, Wyatt realizes he cannot stay quiet when Noreen's volume causes a dangerous situation. Sauer and Howard have created a really fun book with large and entertaining watercolor illustrations. Many older children can use the pictures to predict the impending outcome of some sticky situations. This is a good choice to help children learn that they can still stay true to themselves and accept differences in others.