When a biracial girl steps out from her house onto a busy city street, all she hears is noise. But the text encourages young readers to “stop, close your eyes, and listen. Can you hear each sound?” The soft pencil-and-watercolor illustrations help to isolate each sound the girl hears: a barking dog, a beeping horn, a moving truck, and a motorcycle. As the girl walks to school with her white dad pushing a younger sibling in a stroller, she continues to listen for distinct sounds among the city noises: the “slap-slap-slap” of shoes, the “thump-thump-thump” of a jump rope, and someone calling “hello” from across the playground. In school, the text asks the reader to listen to the sounds of the words we’re hearing, some short and snappy, some lo-o-o-ng, some happy, and some hurtful. Throughout the day, we are encouraged to do different kinds of listening. Listen to the quiet, then past the quiet, then to the voice inside yourself. As her Black mother tucks her into bed at the end of the day, the girl hears the “nighttime hush” and soft exchange of good-nights before falling asleep in her cozy bed. An endnote offers more information on hearing and listening, which helps to extend this book’s usefulness as a story about a single sense or as an introduction to mindfulness for young children. (Ages 3-7)

“A memorable experience.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

In the tradition of Tomie dePaola’s Quiet and Scott Magoon’s Breathe comes this lyrical, meditative picture book about listening and mindfulness.

BEEP!
WOOF!
VROOM!

Isn’t the world a noisy place?
But what if you
stop, close your eyes,
and LISTEN?

Can you hear each sound?
Can you listen past the noise
and hear the quiet, too?

Beautifully illustrated and poignant, this lovely picture book follows a girl through her school day as she listens to sounds across the city: caws of crows, shouts across the playground, and finally, the quiet beating of her heart and whispered goodnights.