The Silence Seeker by Ben Morley

September 2009, Tamarind Books
32 pages
Review copy

Children's, cultural

Pencils: 5/5
Smiles: 4/5
Tissues: 1/5
Yunaleska's recommended rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Again Tamarind books have provided me with a book covering a contemporary topical issues. Joe thinks his mother says 'Silent seekers' when she explains the new family next door are asylum seekers. Determined to help the new boy, Joe goes out and gives him some toast. He travels around the neighbourhood with the quiet boy, searching for the quiet spots in the city. Unfortunately on that particular day none of the spots are what you call quiet, for people are there. Joe tells the boy he hopes silence can be found one day. In response the boy smiles, which had me tearing up.

Prepared to try again the next day, Joe goes out again with the toast, only the boy isn't outside. Joe wonders if he's in one of the spots, so he searches all the places he looked at the previous day. The boy isn't there. When he gets home,his mother says the family had to leave. At this point I had a lump in my throat, for Joe thinks that the city was too quiet for the boy and his family and they are looking for silence elsewhere.

I enjoyed Joe's innocence, and his view on what an asylum seeker might be. In a way he was right: they are seeking silence - a peaceful silence from the war and terrors they escaped from.

I believe this book is a brilliant way to explore the issue of asylum seekers with children. I can see it being used in classrooms for discussion.

Liked this? Try My Big Brother JJ by Odette Elliott.