Loud!

Loud! Is a book that so many children can relate to. Abigail gets frustrated during schoolwork because there are so many other things that would be more interesting. Then she acts out and gets sent out to the calming room. This creates a spiral situation where she is late to the next class and feels bad and inadequate leading to another outburst. Except this time, the music teacher breaks the cycle by using what Abigail thinks is a weakness to help her express herself and find her avenue of self-expression and connection with her peers. This book speaks on so many levels. While calming rooms are a great technique and preserves the learning environment for other students having a teacher take the time to find an acceptable outlet led to a long-lasting positive outcome. It would be easy to get on my soapbox with having seen both scenarios in real life to expound on what a great resolution this story demonstrates. The illustrations have a child-like quality that compliments the age of Abigail and her struggles with emotions. Overall, this book has a great message about finding a way to connect with one's talents and others positively.