Quinn and the Quiet, Quiet

Quinn and the Quiet, Quiet is the newest tale in the “Weird Stories Gone Wrong” series that focuses on what happens when humans invade a faraway snowy planet and disrupt its natural balance.

Quinn Fleet, 12, has been working as a Citizen Child worker at the Work Centre for the past three days when he witnesses Clem Usher run away. Believed to be her accomplice, Quinn gets whisked away to discuss the issue with his Commander when he notices something very weird, a boy on a stretcher who has blue hands.

But that’s not the only weird thing about the Work Centre. Tucked away in the mountains, teenagers are mining a blue substance that then gets turned into blue bricks which are packaged by children like Quinn. Due to their close proximity to this substance, the children, themselves, begin to produce a blue spark when they snap their fingers, and, to make matters worse, the longer they are exposed, the more likely they are to turn completely blue.

Unbeknownst to Quinn, Clem does manage to escape and is rescued by a Snow Creature, a large blue monster who originally inhabited the mountain. She is distraught because the humans have been plundering her mountain, and she begs Clem to help her reclaim her home.

Meanwhile, back at the Work Centre, Quinn is aided by a rogue Officer and his Work Bot who help the children escape to the Quiet, Quiet, a lush green valley where they can live free. Together with the Snow Creature, the children are able to reclaim their lives and restore balance to their new home.

Quinn and the Quiet, Quiet is a timely tale about what can happen when we destroy the only home we have ever known. Sadly, most children are aware of the issues surrounding our very own planet, and so they will see many similarities between our home and that of Quinn and his friends. Writing in clear and concise language, Philippa Dowding has done a great job at taking a very serious topic and making it age-appropriate. Overall, a very enjoyable read.