You Don't Have to be Loud

Drawing on the narrative of his own life growing up as painfully shy child, Ben Brooks explores what it is to be 'quiet' - what it means, what it can feel like and how we can embrace it - and debunks some of the myths about what it means to be a shy person.



Around 60% of adults identify as 'shy' - just one of the facts that Ben uses to 'normalise' shyness, outlining stories of famously shy people from the past and the present - Charles Darwin, David Bowie, Greta Thunberg, Rosa Parks, Beyonce, Emma Watson - revealing the stories of successful adults who grew up shy but didn't let it get in the way of their passion and creativity.



Shy kids often have great innate skills - listening, creativity, kindness, compassion and problem-solving - so being shy or quiet is not something to 'outgrow' but something to embrace and be proud of.



Unique to the children's market, this book will help shy kids to thrive in their own (quiet) way ...