Synopsis

When a new family moves in next door, Joe's mum explains that they are asylum seekers. Joe hears that they are silence seekers, especially as Mum adds that they need peace and quiet. When he sees a young boy from the family sitting disconsolately on the steps, Joe decides to help him find a quiet place in the noisy and chaotic city.

Reviews

Beautifully illustrated by Carl Pearce, with a resonating message that will encourage children to want to ask questions.
 (The Bournemouth Echo)

Pearce's manga-style art shows grungy urban scenes honestly, with graffitied walls and characterless signs.
Web Exclusive Children's Book Reviews, Publishers Weekly (Web Exclusive Children's Book Reviews, Publishers Weekly)

The Silence Seeker is an original and thought-provoking story that explores the issue of asylum seekers in a truly engaging way.

The gritty yet child-friendly illustrations by Carl Pearce will offer children a peek into the realities of city life, from noise, pollution and traffic to gangs, graffiti and homelessness.

This is a book that can be read on many levels but one that is bound to prompt questions about the issue of immigration and asylum. Highly recommended for Circle Time and citizenship activities.
Children's Educational Plus, Scholastic (Book reviews: Child Ed Plus’ top picks, Children's Educational Plus, Scholastic)

...explores the vibrancy and diversity of city life through gritty, yet child-friendly illustrations that are beautifully atmospheric and evocative.
 (Book trust)

The open ending, which has Joe waking up the next morning to the news that his newfound friend left with his family in the middle of the night, will leave readers of all ages with enough to imagine and interpret on their own. It also makes for a perfect opportunity for parents to initiate a conversation about the difficult and uncertain situation of refugees and asylum seekers, and what they can do to offer a helping hand.
 (Paper Tigers)

This book explores the heavy issues of cross-cultural differences and war in a manner that is still accessible to children.
 (InSing.com)

Ben Morley's The Silence Seeker, from Tamarind Books, is a touching book about a little boy who mishears his mother's description of the boy next door, who speaks no English, appears and then vanishes overnight
Alison Walsh (Stockings stuffed with imagination, Sunday Independent)

Extract

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