When I Want to Be Silent

This is a beautiful picture book about the power of the unsaid. About the inner world and the richness of what words cannot express.

A perfect harmony of rhythmic prose and detailed illustrations, this black-and-white picture book radiates extraordinary emotional depth. Its main character, a little bear, inhabits a world where words are not always enough. 

Like a gentle, meditative poem, every page exudes warmth, tenderness, and empathy, capturing the quiet beauty of thought and feeling. At its core lies a book about the limits of language and the power of stillness. It shows readers how being together in silence can be meaningful when words fall short.

Originally published in Bulgaria, this quiet masterpiece became an international sensation, with rights sold in seven languages before arriving in English. Perfect for fans of Shaun Tan and Peter Reynolds.

About the author 

Zornitsa Hristova (1974) is a children’s book writer, literary translator, journalist, and editor-in-chief of a children’s news media. She is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Tochitza Publishers. Zornitsa has authored numerous books and has won many awards, such as the Hristo G. Danov Award, the Peroto Award, and the Golden Lion Award. Her books Urban Geography and Another Day at the Museum were also in the White Raven catalogues in 2017 and 2022. She lives in Bulgaria.