Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story (Tung)

Quiet Girl in a Noisy World
An Introvert's Story by Debbie Tung (2017)

(Not a review, just some notes to help me remember the things I've read. But written this way because it's the Internet, and some people will stumble across this page.)

I looked for recommendations online for nonfiction graphic novels that I could mention to my class to show them that that not everything is superheroes. I did have an interest in history -- anything that they could tie into their studies. I've mentioned George Takei before. And I was hoping to find examples about the American Revolution with America 250 coming soon. (Side note: anything from that time period would be works of fiction. "Creative nonfiction", whatever that actually is, would be the closest thing. I've seen such books at the Dyker Heights library.)

Among every list are Persepholis and Maus, though it took time for the latter to be nonfiction because of the imagery used. A lot of other nonfiction books seemed to deal with tragic issues like war in their homeland, poverty, emigrating to America, racism. It almost made me wish for run-of-the-mill teen angst -- almost. But, I had to be honest, what tops the nonfiction charts for regular books? Usually issues. Graphic novels combine these with compelling stories to varying degrees, and the trick is to get you to care, even if for only a couple hundred pages.

Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story caught my attention as it was something that I thought I could relate to. Most people who know me would say I wouldn't know anything about being an introvert. Some people who really know me, might say otherwise, maybe. There was a period were I thought my awkward extrovert moments were covering up for my introverted tendencies. And sometimes it was the reverse.

However, over the years, I've met some real introverts, and I'm not sure that I could count among their numbers, so maybe there's something else going on.

And that digression brings me back to the book at hand. I actually got the second book first from the library, but I waited to get this one to read either one.

Debbie Tung is a cartoonist. This self-referential book is more episodic than an actual story, but it does move forward with life even if even page (or two) seems to be a standalone strip. It's more cohesive than the recently read Huda F book, Yes, I'm Hot in This. (Side note: I was attracted to the title "Huda F Cares" and then went back to the first book in the series.) The Huda book just seemed with endless "gag" strips, many of which seemed to repeat, at least in theme. Granted, that repetition could stem from the fact that she hears those comments constantly.

In Tung's book, any repetition seems to reinforce what she's already feeling, even as she moves forward with her life, or as she retreats back into the familiar in her life. And she celebrates little victories even while she's completing major achievements.

I enjoyed this book. I might buy a copy of this for my classroom next year if I'm given this class to teach again.

If you stumbled across my page via the Internet, please check out my short book series, Burke Lore Briefs. A fantastical foursome of flash fiction and short stories.