Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert’s Story
by Debbie Tung
Biography
Graphic Novel
Nonfiction
* * * * Stars (Great!)
Debbie Tung is an introvert who likes to spend time alone with books and tea and other comforting rituals. She gets run down quickly when she has to spend time with other people – social interactions and casual gatherings can be hard for her. Before she learned that there was an introverted personality type which other people shared with her, she felt like there was something wrong with her, because most of the people around her were more extroverted and thrived being around other people constantly. Her boyfriend (who later becomes her husband) is an extrovert, but understands Debbie’s feelings and helps her in social situations (by doing a lot of the talking) and is happy to spend time just being with her at home or on their own. Debbie relays some of her experiences as a young adult (in her 20s), graduate student, having her first job, and dealing with her feelings of awkwardness, anxiety, and depression. This is a really good snapshot of what it feels like to experience the world through an introvert’s eyes. We should not expect everyone to be loud, gregarious, social, and, well, extroverted.
Reviewed by Young Adult Librarian
