Celebrating Introverts & "The Quiet Kid" by Deb Fox
My name is Danielle and I am an introvert.
Many of you may be surprised to know that I am an introvert. Honestly, I was surprised too. It sounds strange, but I just found out that I was an introvert this past summer. This realization began when I had the privilege to review an advance copy of The Quiet Kid a new book by Deb Fox, author and illustrator of Good-Bye Bully Machine.
After seeing the Why Introverts Have All the Fun post and the comic below on Mashable this morning, I knew I had to post about introversion and The Quiet Kid today!
I love this comic! The last part is so me... happy with just a cat and a book! :)
The Mashable article also mentions a TED Talk by Susan Cain that I included below, The Power of Introverts.
Cain describes a story of when she was at summer camp and encouraged to be more outgoing. She explains that extroverts like lots of external stimulation (noise, people, activity) and introverts prefer a more quiet or low-key environments. She also talks about how schools are designed for extroverts and to meet extroverts needs. I highly encourage you to watch this TED Talk! Susan Cain also wrote a book about introversion: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking.
The Quiet Kid
I LOVE Deb Fox's illustrations and I was so excited when she asked me to check out The Quiet Kid.
After reading The Quiet Kid, I was like "wow, that's like me..." I was labeled shy and quiet in elementary school. For some reason it was conveyed to me that this was a bad thing. So, for most of my life I made great efforts to masquerade as an extrovert.
Until I read The Quiet Kid it did not occur to me that the difference between introversion and extroversion is where you get your energy. I love how Deb Fox explains at the beginning of the book that Extroverts get their energy from "outside themselves" by being around people, and introverts get their energy from "inside themselves" through solitary activities and dreaming up ideas. of the introverted child.
I think it is important to note that introversion and extroversion occur on a continuum. A person is not fully one or another, but rather a combination of the two. I enjoy spending time reading, writing, and creating things, which are solitary activities. I love connecting with people in person and through social media. I also love presenting to large groups of people. I do not get nervous when presenting, which may make me seem more extroverted, but really I'm not. I am not a big fan of loud places, being the center of attention, or going places where there are lots of people I don't know.
I love The Quiet Kid and wish I would have read a book like this when I was in elementary school. I really think it would have changed the way I thought of myself and made me feel more comfortable being me! As an adult this book has helped me realize it is not bad to be an introvert. It makes me feel proud, excited, and finally understood!
I was beyond excited when Deb asked me to write a quote for the back cover! You can see it below. It sums up how I feel about this amazing book: "'The Quiet Kid'" brings us into the enchanting world of the 'introverted' child. Fox goes beyond normalizing 'quiet' kids; she celebrates them!"
Back cover description:
It's not always easy being a Quiet Kid in today's noisy world.
Outnumbered by their outgoing peers, the live in a society that promotes fast decisions, group interaction, and sensory overload. Their classrooms are often fast-paced and hectic spaces. Too much noise and social interaction can leave these kids feeling drained. It's in their alone time that quiet kids, or introverted kids actually find and recharge their energy.
Maybe you know and love an introverted child; one who can be quite talkative at home or with a close friend, but hangs back in a new group or environment. A child who likes solving problems and working creatively without distractions. One who needs a little more time to access thoughts and find the right words.
Children who are introverts are simply born with this temperament, and they need to know that they're alright just the way they are. The adults in their lives need to understand this, too. Quiet Kid celebrates the unique yet often-misunderstood characteristics of these inner, thoughtful children.
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Many of you may be surprised to know that I am an introvert. Honestly, I was surprised too. It sounds strange, but I just found out that I was an introvert this past summer. This realization began when I had the privilege to review an advance copy of The Quiet Kid a new book by Deb Fox, author and illustrator of Good-Bye Bully Machine.
After seeing the Why Introverts Have All the Fun post and the comic below on Mashable this morning, I knew I had to post about introversion and The Quiet Kid today!
I love this comic! The last part is so me... happy with just a cat and a book! :)
The Mashable article also mentions a TED Talk by Susan Cain that I included below, The Power of Introverts.
Cain describes a story of when she was at summer camp and encouraged to be more outgoing. She explains that extroverts like lots of external stimulation (noise, people, activity) and introverts prefer a more quiet or low-key environments. She also talks about how schools are designed for extroverts and to meet extroverts needs. I highly encourage you to watch this TED Talk! Susan Cain also wrote a book about introversion: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking.
The Quiet Kid
I LOVE Deb Fox's illustrations and I was so excited when she asked me to check out The Quiet Kid.
After reading The Quiet Kid, I was like "wow, that's like me..." I was labeled shy and quiet in elementary school. For some reason it was conveyed to me that this was a bad thing. So, for most of my life I made great efforts to masquerade as an extrovert.
Until I read The Quiet Kid it did not occur to me that the difference between introversion and extroversion is where you get your energy. I love how Deb Fox explains at the beginning of the book that Extroverts get their energy from "outside themselves" by being around people, and introverts get their energy from "inside themselves" through solitary activities and dreaming up ideas. of the introverted child.
I think it is important to note that introversion and extroversion occur on a continuum. A person is not fully one or another, but rather a combination of the two. I enjoy spending time reading, writing, and creating things, which are solitary activities. I love connecting with people in person and through social media. I also love presenting to large groups of people. I do not get nervous when presenting, which may make me seem more extroverted, but really I'm not. I am not a big fan of loud places, being the center of attention, or going places where there are lots of people I don't know.
I love The Quiet Kid and wish I would have read a book like this when I was in elementary school. I really think it would have changed the way I thought of myself and made me feel more comfortable being me! As an adult this book has helped me realize it is not bad to be an introvert. It makes me feel proud, excited, and finally understood!
I was beyond excited when Deb asked me to write a quote for the back cover! You can see it below. It sums up how I feel about this amazing book: "'The Quiet Kid'" brings us into the enchanting world of the 'introverted' child. Fox goes beyond normalizing 'quiet' kids; she celebrates them!"
It's not always easy being a Quiet Kid in today's noisy world.
Outnumbered by their outgoing peers, the live in a society that promotes fast decisions, group interaction, and sensory overload. Their classrooms are often fast-paced and hectic spaces. Too much noise and social interaction can leave these kids feeling drained. It's in their alone time that quiet kids, or introverted kids actually find and recharge their energy.
Maybe you know and love an introverted child; one who can be quite talkative at home or with a close friend, but hangs back in a new group or environment. A child who likes solving problems and working creatively without distractions. One who needs a little more time to access thoughts and find the right words.
Children who are introverts are simply born with this temperament, and they need to know that they're alright just the way they are. The adults in their lives need to understand this, too. Quiet Kid celebrates the unique yet often-misunderstood characteristics of these inner, thoughtful children.
- I mentioned lots of reasons above why I love this book, but the main reason is because it goes beyond normalizing introverts, but celebrates them! Which, is basically what I said on the back cover! ;)
- This book could be used in groups or individual sessions with students. This would be a great book to keep on display because it catches your eye.
- I LOVE DEB's ARTWORK!!! I was captivated by the artwork in Good-Bye Bully Machine. Deb again does an amazing artwork in The Quiet Kid. I love to just look at the pictures over and over... If you want a sneak peak of the artwork check out the "customer images" feature for The Quiet Kid on Amazon!
- Deb encourages educators to let "quiet" kids be who they are!
- A huge THANK YOU to Deb Fox for allowing me to be part of this amazing book. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!
How would you use The Quiet Kid in your work with students? What do you do to support and encourage quiet kids?
Danielle is a K-12 Certified School Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and blogger at School Counselor Blog, a place where school counselors share innovative ideas, creative lesson plans, and quality resources. Connect with Danielle via email, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+, and become a fan of the School Counselor Blog Facebook Page.