Meet the Author: Cassie Silva on Listening to the Quiet for the 2026 Summer Reading Challenge ‘Read to the Beat!’

In this episode of our ‘Meet the Creator’ series, we are joined by Cassie Silva, author of Listening to the Quiet. This heartfelt story about a young girl coming to terms with her mother’s hearing loss has been selected for the 2026 Summer Reading Challenge, ‘Read to the Beat!’. We are also thrilled to announce that Listening to the Quiet is coming to Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand on June 30! 

In this interview, Cassie speaks about what it means for a story about hearing impairment to be selected in the Summer Reading Challenge, the role of music in children’s books, and recommendations for after-reading activities. 

The 2026 Summer Reading Challenge ‘Read to the Beat!’ celebrates the exciting connection between reading and music, inspiring children to discover stories, creativity and rhythm through books. What makes Listening to the Quiet a good fit for this collection? And what makes it unique? 

Cassie: When you think about books that explore music and rhythm, your mind doesn't usually jump to a story about hearing impairment, which is why it’s extra special that Listening to the Quiet was included in the Summer Reading Challenge. Music appreciation is an important theme in my story because the main character Jacki is experiencing anticipatory grief and guilt that her mother will no longer be able to experience music the same way she does. When you read the story, you'll learn how rhythm and beat inspire Jacki to find a special way to connect with her mom. 

What is the perfect soundtrack for Listening to the Quiet? This could be a specific song, a genre of music, a rhythm, or any interpretation of music. 

Cassie: Ooh, great question! Queen, Bruno Mars, Beatles, anything with a great beat you can stamp, stomp, and clap along. 

I won't say which song I was envisioning Jacki presenting to her class because I don't want to ruin the reader's interpretation, but if I was directing Listening to the Quiet as a stage play, I'd likely choose a well-known song with great rhythm and a repetitive chorus that most people know, like "We Will Rock You" by Queen. 

It doesn’t have to be a specific genre. Kids are born understanding and appreciating rhythm. My toddler loves attending Indigenous cultural celebrations where the participants drum, stomp and dance.  You can see her bopping along as she processes the rhythm, and her little body feels inspired to move along to the beat. 

What role does music play in your creative writing process, and/or in your life?

Cassie: I directed children's theatre for many years and one of my favourite parts of the process was choosing the music for scene transitions. The right song at the right moment can completely shape the mood of a scene and guide the audience's emotional response. I don’t typically create a soundtrack when working on picture books, but I definitely have one for my novel in progress. If I need inspiration or hit a creative roadblock, I will close my eyes, play the soundtrack, and really visualize the scenes playing out in front of me as if on stage. 

What inspired you to create Listening to the Quiet? 

Cassie: When I was young, a doctor told my mom that she was slowly losing her hearing and suggested she start teaching me sign language. I didn’t feel guilt and anxiety like Jacki did in the story. It just felt like a fun, special way to communicate that my mom and I shared. We practiced a song together that I ended up presenting to my class in sign language.  That experience inspired Listening to the Quiet. 

Do you have a favourite scene or line from Listening to the Quiet? What makes it especially meaningful to you?

Cassie: I find the moment where Jacki is enjoying the sound of a rainstick, then hides it in her desk when she realizes her mother won't be able to enjoy that sound for much longer, really poignant. When I was thinking about which instrument I'd be devastated to never hear again, the rainstick was the first thing to come to mind. It’s such a beautiful sound– you can understand where Jacki is coming from. 

What do you hope children feel—or take away—when they read Listening to the Quiet?

Cassie: That there are many different ways to communicate and to appreciate music. 

Is there a particularly memorable response from a young reader or educator/parent to the book that stayed with you?

Cassie: Yes! I recently received an email from a reader who was recently diagnosed with profound hearing loss, and was struggling with how to explain it to her two young children.  Here is just a small snippet of what she wrote to me: “Becoming a mother while navigating a new disability was, and continues to be, the greatest challenge of my life. Your book LISTENING TO THE QUIET has brought me so much inspiration and comfort. Thank you for writing your book. It made me feel so seen. It’s a book that makes me feel less alone.” 

As funny as it sounds, even though I’ve published three picture books, it still feels a little surreal to imagine families around the world reading my stories together. My two-year-old daughter knows that one of my books was inspired by my childhood relationship with my mom and another by my experiences with my dad, so at storytime she asks for “Grandma book” or “Grandpa book” and excitedly points out their characters. Honestly, that was all I ever hoped for when I wrote these stories—to preserve and pass down our family experiences to the next generation. Every time I come across a new read-aloud (or sign-along!) version of one of my books on YouTube, I’m reminded of how far these stories have travelled and the meaningful impact they’re having on readers and families. 

What is one activity that you recommend readers do after they read the book? 

Cassie: Learn your local “dialect” of sign language from a member of your local deaf community! Just as the world has lots of different spoken languages, there are many different versions of sign language. 

What do you hope to see more of in children’s books about music?

Cassie: It would be interesting to see more representation regarding alternative ways to experience music beyond just using our ears.  For example, vibrotactile music (vibrations turned into tactile sensations), bodily movement (eg. percussive body movement, the rhythmic structure of dance) or visual music (rhythm and pitch demonstrated through visual patterns, colours, brightness, etc.)

Inspired by the author’s childhood, this critically acclaimed story has been featured in the New York Times for its gentle and empowering representation of disability, communication, and connection. Find out more about the book here.

Explore more of our author and illustrator interviews in the ‘Meet the Creator’ blog series!