A Talent For Quiet [Large Print] [Perfect Paperback]

Kim Chatel (Author, Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 5, 2009

Reanie is a shy girl. She has a new step dad whose shoulders seem to fill their small house. Afraid to disappoint him, she retreats to her room whenever Bill asks her to play. But when he invites her on a photo safari in the creek, Reanie can't resist. As the father and daughter splash through the water, they encounter many creatures. Bill teaches Reanie how to handle a camera, and her new step-dad doesn't seem so strange anymore. Illustrated with Kim Chatel's stunning photography, this is more than a story. It is a journey with Reanie as she finds her voice and her artistic talent. The back of the book includes 5 nonfiction pages about photography: a glossary of terms, tips on taking better pictures and historical tidbits about photography.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc (February 5, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935137565
• ISBN-13: 978-1935137566
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 8.5 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,707,506 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kim Chatel is a Canadian born author, photographer and fiber artist. She is the author of three books for children, The Stone Beach (Eternal Press) Rainbow Sheep and A Talent for Quiet (Guardian Angel Publishing). Her interactive chapter book, Burgher and the Woebegone will be out soon from Guardian Angel Publishing. Kim now lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, daughter and assortment of animals.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars All around Great Read and Learning Experience, July 6, 2009

By 

Cheryl C. Malandrinos "johnnycat15" (Western Mass) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Talent For Quiet (Perfect Paperback)

A book of photography, learning new talents, and accepting change comes to life through the talent of artist, photographer and author Kim Chatel.

Reanie has a new stepfather. He has a loud voice, likes sports, and makes their house seem too small when he's there. Bill also has many cameras, terribly breakable cameras that Reanie is not allowed to touch.

When Bill decides to go on a photo safari, he asks Reanie to come along. They pack up a picnic breakfast and head out in Bill's truck. After some lessons from Bill, Reanie begins snapping photos of the wildlife and soon discovers a new talent. She also comes to the conclusion that Bill isn't quite as scary as he first seemed.

What a wonderful book! Chatel's stunning photography and masterful storytelling create a beautiful story of a shy, young girl intimidated by her new step-father, who is able to discover a talent she never knew she had, while slowly getting closer to the new man in the house.

Chatel has a way with words that truly engages young readers and makes them want to keep turning the pages; and in this book, the photographs of the wildlife encourage young readers to learn more about the world around them.

Also included is a glossary of terms about cameras and photography tips for children and adults. The last page of the book contains facts about photography, making "A Talent for Quiet" an all around great read and learning experience.

Both my daughters enjoyed this book, and my budding photographer couldn't stop commenting on the beautiful photographs.

"A Talent for Quiet" is destined to win awards!

5.0 out of 5 stars Stories for Children Magazine 5 Star Review, June 3, 2009

By 

Virginia S. Grenier "Children's Author & Stor... (Ivins, Utah USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Talent For Quiet (Perfect Paperback)

REVIEWED BY: Wayne S. Walker, reviewer with Stories for Children Magazine

In a world in which we are constantly bombarded with noise pollution, is there ever a time for quiet? A shy girl named Reanie has a new stepfather named Bill. Bill is big, and his loud voice frightens Reanie even when he laughs or speaks kindly. He likes to play soccer, football, and baseball. But since Reanie isn't good at sports, whenever he asks her to kick a ball or go to the batting cages, she shakes her head no and goes to her room. But Bill is also a photographer, and early one summer morning he asks Reanie if she wants to go on a photo safari with him. She almost says no again but changes her mind and agrees to go.

The two take some muffins, fruit, and juice for a picnic breakfast and drive away in Bill's old blue truck. Bill lets Reanie take one of his older cameras and shows her how to use it, warning her that she must to be quiet in order to take good pictures. As they walk near the river, she snaps photos of a goose, a spider's web, a crawfish, a muskrat, a turtle, and a monarch butterfly. Then they see a grey heron, but every time they try to get closer to it for a good picture, it backs up. Reanie shows that she knows how to be quiet, and she enjoys the time that she is spending with Bill. But will she ever be able to get a picture of the heron?

I really enjoyed this heartwarming story by Kim Chatel, whose Rainbow Sheep (which I have previously reviewed for Stories for Children) won the 2009 Eppie Award. Kim not only wrote the text but also took the beautiful photographs in the book. Of course, it is wonderful to see the barriers break down in the growing relationship between Reanie and Bill. In addition, there are five nonfiction pages at the end with information about photography, including a glossary of photographic terms, hints for taking good pictures, and some historical trivia about cameras. A Talent for Quiet gets two thumbs up from me.