Kidlit Spotlight: LISTEN — Anitra Rowe Schulte

The sounds of a new school year are here, all around us. A cascade of morning alarms. Cereal tumbling and tinging in the bowl. Papers shuffling. Zippers zooping. Storm doors slamming. Then out, into spaces and places both familiar and new…

… where more sounds await. On and on, everywhere. Until light switch click.

The auditory imprints of our day create song and soundtrack - intro, verse, chorus, and refrain - as we move from activity to activity. Is the information inundating our ears merely noise? Or is it, when parsed, meaningful and connective? When it’s all jumbled together, layered and mixed, it can be hard to tell.

New picture book LISTEN is a story about slowing down and tuning in to the multitude of sounds that hearing people receive each day. Here’s the calm, gentle cover of this thoughtful, tempered tale by Gabi Snyder, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin (Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster), which arrived on shelves this summer, just in time for a boisterous, bustling school year.

LISTEN is a picture book about recognizing and separating the sounds of the world - each woof! beep! and vroom! - to better learn about your environment and your place within it. Palette, purpose and repetition work in tandem to deliver a story that encourages reflection and mindfulness. Here are three things that I love about the new picture book LISTEN…

Impactful Palette

What is the color of calm and observation? Of care and concentration? Illustrator Stephanie Graegin washes the cover and pages of LISTEN in a soft, steely, teal that’s rich in detail but serene and familiar. It instantly lowers the volume on the story and encourages the slow, deliberate experience that’s also requested by the title: Listen.

With this mood established, readers meet a young girl as she begins her journey through the day. She stands on the doorstep of her home, looking out upon the street. Her posture and pose are open and receptive, but also a bit anxious and on alert. The girl is in full vibrant color, whereas the setting behind her by contrast is blue-gray, conveying things that are well known and understood. This style centers the girl and also sets the stage for new and distracting sounds to come. And they do…

Purposeful Appeal

With father and sibling by her side, the girl heads toward school. Brightly rendered objects continue to emphasize new things and people crossing the main character’s consciousness: Unfamiliar faces, fresh popping blossoms, colorful cars rolling by.

Author Gabi Snyder’s rich writing takes off, detailing the sounds that are registering in the girl’s mind. Appealing directly to the reader, the narrator asks, “Do you hear a dog yip-yip-yapping from window to yard to passing car.” These questions in the text ask readers to take stock and take note - of what they hear, where sound is coming from, and where it’s going next.

Repeated Reminder

Playground hollers. Gravel crunch. Sidewalk chalk scrape. The narrator asks the reader, can you hear each of these things? The continual queries encourage readers to place themselves in the situation as both observers and present, active participants. Then, after setting each sensorial scene, the text reminds again: Listen. The refrain, set off in orange type, is less a command, and more a centering call to action. As sounds swirl around the girl, this simple repeated word brings focus.

The reminder to listen in this story isn’t merely environmental. It extends to interpersonal relationships, too. To joyful stories and hurtful words. To sobs, sighs, and even silence. In the end, the invitation to listen is about being aware of the needs and feelings of others, as well, so that you can play a role in righting wrongs and bringing comfort to others. Then, as the girl’s day concludes, the narrator asks a question of quiet reflection. In the stillness of your room, “Can you hear the voice inside you?”

Today, many children return to school amidst prolonged and ever-changing extenuating circumstances. From masks to no masks, to community tensions and continued school precautions. Sounds and words of worry and anger mix with excitement and joy and new things to learn. It’s all so, so much. As students struggle to process the endless parade of stimuli, LISTEN facilitates meditation and conversation - an incredible resource and tool for parents and educators alike in this current moment.

The Creators

Gabi Snyder’s debut picture book, TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE, illustrated by Robin Rosenthal, released in 2020 from Abrams Appleseed. Her second picture book, LISTEN, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin, came out in July 2021 from Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books. Gabi studied psychology at the University of Washington and creative writing at The University of Texas. When she’s not writing, she loves taking nature walks, visiting Little Free Libraries, and baking sweet treats. She lives in Oregon with her family. Learn more at gabisnyder.com.

Born during a blizzard on Groundhog’s Day in Chicago, Illinois, Stephanie Graegin spent her childhood drawing and collecting fauna in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Houston, Texas. She received her BFA in Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland. She later attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, obtaining a Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking. Stephanie now lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she writes and illustrates children’s books. Learn more at graegin.com.

One lucky reader will win LISTEN,

signed by Gabi Snyder!

1. "Like" this post (click the heart below)

2. Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter

3. Retweet my pinned contest tweet by 9/3/21

GOOD LUCK!