Long ago in a mountain village far away, a baby girl was born who was “as black and silent as wonder.” Her parents called her Shining, and were worried when she didn’t talk as she grew older. Suspicious of her silence, when Shining was two, her parents took her to see the village wise woman, know as The One. They learned from her that silence was a natural thing for Shining. The other villagers are less accepting, however, and when Shining turns 12, they elect to exclude her from the coming-of-age ceremony. The wise woman returns to inform them that Shining is destined to be her heir, the next wise woman in the village. John Clapp’s striking charcoal and watercolor illustrations add a sense of eerie mystery to the story. (Ages 7–10)

In a small mountain village, a young girl named Shining is born. As she grows, Shining runs, plays, and smiles like other children, but she does so silently. The villagers fear and shun her, but Shining remains silent and waits for the right moment, and for the right sound, to come--a sound so true, it will win the hearts of her people . . . and win Shining her rightful place as their leader.
Newbery Honor author Julius Lester has created a powerful tale about the importance of remaining true to one's self and finding one's voice. John Clapp's luminous paintings add a breathtaking dimension to Shining, a character as distinct and enchanting as the world she inhabits.
Notes by the author and the illustrator supplement the text.