A Cup of Quiet
Nikki Grimes, Author
Cathy Ann Johnson, Illustrator
Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025.
Ages 3 to 6 years.
Behold a beautiful picture book about the special bond between a child and grandparent. During any busy season we need an opportunity for respite and serenity.
The storyteller is the young grandchild who is spending two weeks with her grandparents.
“Grandma and I take turns acting out stories from books, but halfway through, she covers her ears to drown out the sound of Grandpa’s hammer banging and the loud music he plays while he works hanging new bookshelves.”
Grandma gets thirsty for a cup of quiet.
“That’s silly, Grandma,” her granddaughter says. “Quiet can’t fit in a cup and you can’t drink it.”
Together, they retreat to the garden to collect the calming sounds of nature, and their cup expands and grows by adding:
a bee’s buzz,
a leaf’s crackle,
a whistling wind,
a hummingbird’s whir.
By slowing down and appreciating the gentler sounds of nature, Grandma and her granddaughter step away from the commotion and clatter of daily life and try to restore the afternoon by sharing a cup of quiet and just being together. This story highlights sensory detail, creativity, the concept of looking to nature for peace and mindful noticing.
Engaging mixed media illustrations [watercolor, gouache, acrylic, and digital] depict what fun it can be to share the magic of the imagination.
The last line of the book is “You ever hear of perfect?” This transfer of wisdom from one generation to the next is surrounded by love and an invitation to understand how refreshing the sound of quiet can be.
Ms. Grimes is a Children’s Literature Legacy Award winner. Social justice is one of the themes readers find in her books, often set against an urban landscape. Her themes also include bullying, friendship, foster care, forgiveness, gratitude, empathy, identity, mental illness, and loss.
