The Quiet Place (review)

Moving north from her Mexican home is daunting for young Isabel, who's struggling to adjust to the new language and country. She writes brief letters to her beloved aunt Lupita back in Mexico, giving compact vignettes of her family life and her gradual adjustment, and apprising her aunt of her ongoing search for a quiet space ("for me and my books") that would be hers alone. Those letters, one on each spread, serve as the anchor for a story that unfolds more fully in Small's panoramic full-spread line, watercolor, and pastel scenes. In those tableaus, Small evinces a photographer's eye for the best perspective and framing: the view of Isabel slumping mournfully in the backseat of the car, clutching her beloved teddy bear (who accompanies her in nearly every picture) as she gazes back at what she's losing, will strike a chord with every youngster who's undergone relocation. The visuals also demonstrate Isabel's shy interactions with the other kids in her neighborhood (she and her mom have a cake-baking business, so she drops off pastry at several parties), with subtly growing warmth that culminates in her own well-attended birthday party. The 1950s setting provides an excuse for some glorious touches of pattern and design, but Isabel's quiet place, a wonderful warren constructed from giveaway boxes and decorated with imaginative art and craft by Isabel herself, is the star of the show in its foldout reveal. It's such a fascinating place, in fact, that viewers may wish they'd seen a little more of its creation and interiors, but they'll still revel in the "Ta-da!" moment and seize the opportunity to pore over the details of Isabel's designs. Kids will understand Isabel's yearning to find her own place, both within the community and with her quiet spot, and they'll definitely start making big plans for the oversized Amazon boxes.