Quiet Time with My Seeya

Starred review from December 15, 2022
When it comes to grandparents and their grandchildren, love transcends language. A child of Sri Lankan descent explains that the time they spend with their seeya (the Sinhalese word for grandfather) is "quiet," primarily because the two speak different languages. Luckily, the pair's commonalities more than make up for this difference. Together, they play dress-up, water the flowers in the garden, and cook traditional Sri Lankan food. Things aren't perfect: Seeya isn't great at video games, and when the two cook and then eat together, they always make a mess. When each character reads aloud in their own language, it's clear that neither one understands all of the other's words. But between riding a bicycle together, playing on the beach, and trading words during show and tell (which ends up being mostly show), they develop a syntax unique to their relationship that ensures nothing is lost in translation and that reflects their deep, abiding love. The book's pastel palette and textured illustrations perfectly express the cozy, gentle relationship at the heart of this story. The child narrator's lyrical voice radiates a mischievous, affectionate innocence. The story's specificity imbues it with an intimate authenticity that immigrant families in particular will appreciate; Dabarera's author's note describes her own experience growing up with an immigrant grandparent whose language she didn't fully understand. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A visually and textually gorgeous story about love in a multilingual family. (Picture book. 3-6)

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March 15, 2023
Grades K-2 A child and their grandfather (seeya in Sinhalese) share a loving bond despite the language barrier between them. Narrated by the child, the story depicts the many ways they enjoy spending time together. They read, tend to the garden, play on the beach, play dress-up, and much more. Their smiling faces leave no doubt as to the depth of their connection. The illustrations parallel the narrative, adding details and humorous twists that will make readers smile along with the characters. It soon becomes clear that the word quiet in the title refers only to language, as the pair of them are never at a loss for laughter, exclamations, and other sounds. This will resonate with intergenerational families in which linguistic and cultural differences may be an obstacle for communication--at least on the surface. In the back matter, the author shares her own story, making this lovely book a welcome addition to the growing canon of immigrant stories for children. Can be thematically paired with Grandpa's Scroll by Ginger Park and Frances Park (2023).

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Starred review from May 1, 2023
In Australian author-illustrator Dabarera’s endearing picture book, a narrating child and their grandfather, both portrayed with brown skin, express fondness in ways that rise above verbal communication’s constraints. “Time with my seeya is quiet time,” explains the young narrator, curled up at the feet of their white-bearded grandfather. “Mum says that’s because Seeya and I speak different languages. But that doesn’t matter to us, because my seeya and I like all the same things.” These shared interests—playing dress-up, puddle-stomping, bug-finding, gardening, and beating video game baddies—are depicted in sweetly affectionate, lavish colored pencil scenes whose visible grain summons a velvety dimensionality. Throughout, onomatopoeic phrases get to the root of the duo’s emotional reactions and their tenderly rendered bond, which offers an image of camaraderie and relative quiet as love’s true language. An author’s note, and photograph of the creator with family in Sri Lanka, concludes. Ages 3–6.

February 14, 2023
Quiet Time with My Seeya is the debut solo picture book by Dinalie Dabarera, whose previous illustrations in The Cat With The Coloured Tail were nominated for the CBCA Award for new illustrator, among other industry prizes. This endearing new story shows the special days a young child spends with her beloved Sinhalese grandfather, her seeya. Although they speak different languages, and their time together is mostly quiet, they cherish every moment in each other’s company. They tease each other mischievously, go on adventures and create their own worlds through games and dress-ups. Dabarera proves that sometimes we don’t need words to show love. Sometimes just quietly making pittu together (and laughing over the mess on the floor) is enough. This mutual love and tenderness that spans generations is felt on every page, and is brought to life by the delightful illustrations that convey plenty of movement and joy. The note at the end of the book by Dabarera draws on the author's own family life to tell the reader explicitly that they have just read a story about love—the kind that is communicated in time and attention. The message to young readers and their families is a profound one: that love exists across languages and cultures and that being together is the most precious thing. Read Karys McEwen's interview with Dinalie Dabarera about Quiet Time with My Seeya here.