Ben Brooks Books

There seems to be a wealth of self-help for children books on the market at the moment and looking for a book that really considers the issue in a suitable way can be is quite overwhelming.

However, ‘You Don’t Have to Be Loud’ pitches itself perfectly in its mission through the gloriously simple yet innovative title.
The book cover looks appealing, with a huge mouth covering the page. The edges of the book itself are curved, rather than pointed, which make it rather soothing to hold.

The book is written in the first person and draws on the experience of the author. It is utterly refreshing to listen to the anecdotes; which are charming, funny and absolutely authentic. There is a balance between advice and support for children and young people who identify as shy, quiet or introverted and insights into Ben’s journey, navigating the world through his ‘quiet’ viewpoint.

There are also some amazing quotes from famous people, some of whom you may never have considered as being shy. Ben drops these into the narrative regularly and they are really effective in reminding the reader that a change of mindset can be helpful in reframing feelings of shyness. The illustrations are in a red, grey and white colour scheme and red is used perfectly; it highlights the shy characters on the page brilliantly.

The book would be a super addition to a Key Stage Two bookshelf and could be used as part of a mental health collection or as part of PSHE or citizenship.