"Shy Ones" is a great book about the power in all of us, despite how outgoing we are or how confident we may seem. It is a beautiful representation about those who fly under the radar, but quietly have so much to offer. I found this book to be a perfect way to talk about differences in my kindergarten classroom during Autism Acceptance Month (April), because it highlights that we all have something valuable to offer.
This book is about a Maurice, a flapjack octopus, who lives in an underwater community of creatures. Maurice is quiet and doesn't like to draw attention to himself. He considers himself to be a shy one and he has a hard time fitting in with the creatures around him because he doesn't like being noticed. We see all the creatures in the classroom raising their hands, eager to share in front of the group. Maurice is hiding under the desk. The reader sees all the creatures outside on the playground, confidently exploring, while Maurice is hiding behind the coral. Maurice is shown in a variety of places, being very hard to even notice, unless you are looking for him. There is then a transition in the story where the author, Simona Ciraolo, says, "you're probably thinking, 'What a bore.'" I like how she puts into words what people sometimes think of quiet people, that they may be boring or not interesting; however, this couldn't be farther from the truth. Ciarolo then goes to show that Maurice excelling in his own way and expressing himself differently. We see Maurice dancing with confidence and coming out of his shell. In the end, Ciraolo explains the importance of including everyone, regardless of who they are and how outgoing or shy they are. She depicts the uniqueness in all of us and the value we each have to offer.
As a teacher with several students with autism in my class, Autism Acceptance month is a very exciting time for my kindergarteners. We spend all month learning about differences and talking about how to show kindness, acceptance, and inclusion to others. This book was a perfect text to ground our thinking and get my students to think deeply about our differences and what makes us all special.
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