The Other Side of Quiet

by Tara C. Allred

"A powerful story about murder and secrets in a small Utah town" – Deseret News

KINDLE BOOK AWARD FINALIST WHITNEY AWARD WINNER - GENERAL FICTION SHELF UNBOUND BEST INDIE BOOK - RUNNER UP Mrs. Childs's creative writing students are expected to keep personal journals for self-expression. But when clues from a murder investigation cause police authorities to confiscate the students’ journals, writing intended to be private is no longer. Words meant to liberate now condemn. And an innocent writing project, meant to empower students, as well as rescue Mrs. Childs from her own personal tragedy, now open deep conflicts within the class.

"A unique and richly interesting story of survival during some of the most complicated years of life; reminding us all about what is truly important." –The Book Stalker

"The Other Side of Quiet has enough adventure and mystery to keep you turning pages, but also an underlying message of love and acceptance. This is a book that all teenagers, and parents should read. It will inspire you to believe in our youth, love them through their challenges, and leave you with a desire to be a better parent, teacher and friend." –Katie Millar Wirig, Founder of The Power of Family

"I am a firm believer in classroom read alouds, alongside in-depth class discussions. This book is a perfect read aloud for middle grade and high school classrooms. Students in your classroom can learn from the students in Mrs. Childs’s classroom. The Other Side of Quiet brings up questions that students today should be asking and learning how to answer. This novel will help educators to discuss otherwise difficult concepts . . . and help students come out stronger with more understanding toward others." –Brittany Boman, former teacher, Alpine School District

Venture Academy High School Creative Writing Students “The Other Side of Quiet is written with amazing craft. It portrays life and family situations that are not only relatable, but also intricately weaved into a story that will keep you reading until the very end.” – Alana, age 15

“Awesome book. Such a good read!” - Josh, age 15

“An intriguing novel that can teach anyone important lessons about life and family. Tara C. Allred builds character that feel real, and that many can relate to in more ways than one, and builds suspense with a thrilling murder mystery. Reading this novel you will laugh, cry, and find a certain peace in its ending.” – Berea, age 16

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Contemporary

413 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 6, 2015

About the author

TARA C. ALLRED is an award-winning author, instructional designer, and educator. She has been recognized as a California Scholar of the Arts for Creative Writing and is a recipient of the Howey Awards for Best Adult Book and Best Adult Author. She lives in Utah with her husband.

Her published works include REMEMBER (The Existence Series), SANDERS' STARFISH and UNAUTHORED LETTERS (John Sanders Series), HELPING HELPER and THE OTHER SIDE OF QUIET, a 2015 Kindle Book Award Finalist and Whitney Award Winner.

To learn more about the author, visit www.taracallred.net.

Reviews

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the beginning of The Other Side of Quiet, Tara C. Allred notes that she struggled with how to go about writing the 10 students' journals. She wanted them to seem like authentic work of 15 year olds... 9th graders that knew their writing wouldn't be read by anyone else, and therefore probably wouldn't worry about grammar or spelling, and would probably use slang, and cursing. But... she also wanted to avoid putting off her readers. I have to say I think she did an amazing job of balancing it all out. The individual journal posts felt like they could have been written by students... especially students that had been accepted into a special writing class. Not only that... but she did a wonderful job of writing in 10 different voices. Or, 10 students AND Mrs. Childs, their teacher.

With so many characters I sometimes wonder how an author would possible supply the full development of each one. Being able to read each journal really was a brilliant way to do it. The kids each revealed so many truths about themselves and their families. I loved the diversity in all of the family structures (single parents, same sex parents, divorced parents, foster parents, supportive and "functional" and all kinds of "dysfunctional... etc)... but how the teen insecurities were a constant.

I have to say though... my favorite thing about the entire story had to be how Mrs Childs related to her students, comparatively, before and after the journals were read. Even though the journal project didn't go at all how she intended... I think the end result with how she was able to truly effect her students lives was amazing. Not only that... but how she was able to internalize all that she then learned from them and refocus her own life made me really stop and think.

While the mystery surrounding the murder investigation gave purpose to push the story forward... the heart of the story was really the growth and relationships between teacher and students.

[Katie Millar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Other Side of Quiet is an inspirational book that brings hope, laughter, and insight into a variety of family situations. When Mrs. Child’s creative writing class has their journals confiscated to solve a murder, the reader gets the unique and exciting opportunity to see into the minds of 10 very diverse, and very passionate teenagers. The journals give you a glimpse of each teenager’s family situation, their dreams, as well as their challenges and pain. Tara Allred has an unbelievable talent for bringing each of these characters to life. You will cry for their pain and rejoice in their success. The Other Side of Quiet has enough adventure and mystery to keep you turning pages, but also an underlying message of love and acceptance. This is a book that all teenagers, and parents should read. It will inspire you to believe in our youth, love them through their challenges, and leave you with a desire to be a better parent, teacher and friend.

[Laura Frost · Rating 5 out of 5]

The English teacher in me was jumping up and down as I read this novel. Every new chapter made me want to try this project with my own students, you know, minus the whole murder aspect.
Tara's writing is amazing. She managed to strike the much needed balance between authentic teenager and the writing (grammar and whatnot) that we as readers need. I look forward to seeing what she has in store for us next.
Mrs. Childs's inner demons lead her to introspection and reflection. Her students feel betrayed by her actions, yet she plows on ahead loving them and giving them the best she can. I really related to her and know that you will find someone to connect with in the novel.

[Kacey Kendrick Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

My biggest pet peeve about this book is the title... I have absolutely no idea why it's called "The Other Side of Quiet." Besides that, I thought it was a good read. I stayed up late when I got close to the end because I really wanted to know what happened!

[Elaine Onstad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teenage angst overload

Best thing about this book: the use of journals to reveal the characters' deepest feelings. Worst thing about this book: each character is hiding a stereotypical teenage issue. Additionally, because the author seemed inclined to create obvious dramas, the answer to the mystery was revealed early on.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mrs. Childs is an English teacher. She also teaches a special creative writing class for a few talented students as well. She purchases each of her students a journal to write in. It's a place for them to freely express their thoughts, concerns, and rants. No one was ever supposed to lay eyes on the pages filled with their personal secrets.


One tragic occurrence changes all of that. The journals have been taken up and read by others. The children's privacy has been violated. Trust has been broken. The students no longer have faith in their teacher. This all brings about Mrs. Childs' personal heartache. She just wanted to give her kids a place to express themselves, and it has turned into something no one could have expected. Can she regain their trust and heal her heart in the process, or will everything remain in shambles?


When I first received this book for review, I knew I would like it, but I didn't think it would be one that I just loved. Oh how wrong I was. This book was amazing! There is so much emotion poured unto the pages. My heart aches for Mrs. Childs and the kids. I love a book that makes you think and tugs at the heart strings. This book isn't just about broken trust and the healing process. You get a little insight into the lives of each of the creative writing students. I love how each child's personality is so different. I think the lives of people we know are completely reflected in them. You will relate with at least one of the kids, if not a small piece of each of them. There's so much truth in their stories. I love how it draws on real life people. You have the jock, the beauty queen, the foster child, the quirky one, the scholar, kids raised in broken homes, kids raised by single moms, and even a child with the same sex parents. You won't find so much diversity in other books, but this is so much of modern day. I love that it all has been included!


The writing style was easy to follow. The characters were likeable and relatable. The story has a nice flow with a good arc. The author even goes so far to change the font on the each of the kids' journal title page to reflect their personality. I thought this was a great touch. I read this whole book in one day. Once I started, it just pulled me in, and I couldn't put the book down. I will definitely be looking to read more from this author. Such a great story!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allred bit off a huge chunk of ambition when she set forward to create a story about 11 different lives, 11 different families, and weave them together around one murder mystery in a small but growing Utah town. The people she introduces the reader to are, however, characters from across the nation, even across the world, not just "Utah" characters, and I loved the diversity the book represents. Though the central theme is definitely that of defining family, I think an equally strong theme is that of growing up and learning to deal with what we're dealt; not just for the class of ninth graders we meet early on but for the adults in the story as well.

This book moves forward through the journal writings of the class members and the eyes of Mrs. Childs, the teacher. When a high school student is found murdered and signs at the scene implicate the creative writing class Mrs. Childs teaches, the school year suddenly takes a hiccup for all the students as well as the teacher. It works through betrayal and healing, handling disappointments and grown-up kinds of issues along with growing up issues from a ninth grade naivety.

The Other Side of Quiet explores a wide variety of topics, which is challenging in a novel, but Allred manages to pull it off with great success. I had a hard time to putting the book down and I enjoyed it as much or more than any other book I've read this year. I'll be buying copies to share for sure. I've enjoyed all of Allred's books, but I personally think this is her best yet.

[Marjorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given To Me For An Honest Review

The Other Side of Quiet by Tara C. Allred is another out of the ballpark hit. Once you open the book, it will grab you and hold you tightly as you watch those pages turn and turn and turn some more. Then before you know it you are on the last page. Just make sure you have your seatbelt on because you are on the ride of you life. Mrs. Child's has a new creative writing class that she is teaching this year. Her students are seated with their journal and waiting to hear about their assignment for that class. A promise is made and believed but then it is betrayed. Each journal has something in it that wasn't meant for anyone's eyes. Now everyone will know. The class writing project ends up part of a murder investigation. The students are potential suspects but in the end ........ well, get the book to find out who the real guilty person is. This book is fantastic. I sat down and read it all in one evening. You'll find smiles and sadness and fear but the main thing that you'll find is love and caring. I gave this book 5 stars but it really deserves many, many more. I highly recommend this book to everyone. I look for more of these fantastic books from Tara C. Allred.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reread this because it was a book selected for our monthly book group. I know I enjoyed it more the second time, and I loved it the first time. Continues to be a book I would recommend for all mid-teens and older. Although there are some decidedly adult situations that are discussed (murder to begin with, lesbian mothers, unavailable and cheating fathers, drug use, teen sex, etc.), all are handled appropriately and nothing is described graphically. The lead character is an English teacher in a Junior High who has an advanced writing class with ten students. This book is about those students and their growing up during this epic Freshman year of their lives. The entire class falls under suspicion of murdering a senior cheerleader at the start of the book, and as the investigation unfolds we are introduced to the challenges of being a teen in today's world through the journals of each of the class members. We meet caring and involved parents. We meet detached parents who are struggling with their own identity. And we meet a school teacher who desperately wants a family of her own but cannot conceive, and her coming to grips with that in her personal life. Definitely worth reading.

[Cathy Hunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pleasant enough read, with a little bit of mystery and a heroic teacher/narrator who deeply cares for her angsty middle schoolers even while dealing quietly with her own personal challenges. I was impressed with the narrative voices and stories she created for her gifted creative writing students, whom we get to know through their journal writing, their classroom discussions, and their exchanges with the narrator. We teachers are reminded of the types of challenges we often don't realize that our students are facing outside of school. Although Mrs. Childs teaches other classes besides creative writing, we hear almost nothing about them due to the "situation" with this one class that is the focus of the novel. (Note to editor: As this is a book about an English teacher, she shouldn't be guilty of a couple of egregious grammar errors in her narration -- worst was "I'd went..." Also there's a grammatical error on the back of the book -- hard to spot, but there nonetheless!) In any case, although not an "amazing" book, it's good enough to make one want to keep reading to the end.

[Victoria Brinius · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting topic for me. I had a journal in middle school and it got me through some tough times. To be able to right my thoughts down made me feel better. However I was always thinking about what I was writing and how my teacher would interpret what I was saying. To have my thoughts taken and needed as evidence in an investigation would drive me crazy. I would rethink everything I wrote. I liked that the author tried to make the teenage drama as realistic as possible. The mystery and the involvement of police was an added benefit. I also liked that this was a creative writing class. The writer encouraged her students to write. i am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own.

[Davidandkelley Crandall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique and richly intense story of survival during some of the most complicated years of life; reminding us all about what is truly important.

~The Book Stalker Reviewed

[Segullah · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Tara Allred’s The Other Side of Quiet, Mrs. Childs is an English teacher at a Utah junior high, who assigns her creative writing class the task of writing in their private journals each day. When a murder of a girl at the high school, she’s required by the principal and the police to read the journals. While this invasion of her students’ privacy at first seems to distance her from the students, the class eventually comes together through the investigation, and all of the students (and their teacher) learn and grow a lot in the process. The Other Side of Quiet is the kind of book I would have expected to love. I’m an English teacher and have worked at the junior high level and given assignments like this to my students. I appreciate the narrative strategies Allred employed (we heard from each student, for example, both in snippets from their journal and in a more straightforward narrative), but I also felt a little bit like the characters were more flat than round. The kids in the class were a troubled foster kid, a football player with a dissatisfied ex-NFL dad, a boy with two moms, a couple who have a teen pregnancy, and so on. It felt like a lot of after school specials wrapped up into one novel.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would rate this an even 3. I read this because it was the book on my "to-read" list for the longest. I have been trying to remember how it got on my list because it is a very niche read. Written by a Latter Day Saint (written as Mormon in the book), about a small town, predominantly LDS town in Utah. A creative writing teacher gets involved in a murder mystery when a death happens and the evidence suggests someone in her class was a part of it. The writing was ok, I felt like some of the voices were better than others, and I thought that most of the people, especially the teacher, should be in therapy NOW. I found parts frustrating, but stuck with it and found it ok overall.

Parents: Murder (not graphic), teenager angst, teenage sex mentioned.

[The Flipped Page (Susan K) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance, murder mystery, clean
This was a poignant, heartfelt novel. The multiple characters in the classroom, the teacher's hurts and her relationship with her husband, the murder, all of it came together to bring together the 'Family' part of this novel. It was a romance, as a side story, but really about forgiveness, trust, caring, family, and healing.
The school/classroom setting, the murder, the baby drama for both students and teacher made for a well-crafted, real life story. Beautifully done, by far my favorite work by this author.
I received a review copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. My opinions are my own.

[Suzanne Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life as a Middle Schooler

Having taught middle school, I remember the roller coaster emotions of these children. The ups and downs of families, the ups and downs of school life, and the ups and downs of teachers and the students in their classes are never boring! A great coming of age read!

[Sienna S'Zell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful story! So many emotions and possibilities, and struggles, for 9th graders. A good year to start facing their own version of themselves. I loved that using journaling and then publicly reading their version of "family" opened up a lot of things. A beautiful telling of human experience.

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

Insightful, well written and relatable life challenges! Each character comes to life through personal narration and third party observation. One person truly can make a difference!

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very inspiring story!

Savannah always wanted a child to complete her family but it wasn't to be. Their savings was depleted trying to conceive. Her students became her children.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Sal Noel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. Started off interesting then totally lost my interest. Severe speed reading to finish it.

[Annie Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is such a good one!! Tara is one of the sweetest people i’ve ever met. This book has such a good storyline and I read it in three days. One of my favorites.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 9th grade teacher has to read her classes private diaries because a senior girl is killed and she had a bog from the teachers "special" writing class. Great insights into the minds and lives of all the students. I loved this story all about the person behind the face.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a lot different than I thought it would be based on the book jacket blurb. I thought it would be a mystery. I also thought it might be a good older youth fiction book. Not so. It is clearly adult fiction. It deals with issues and struggles that all teens struggle with, like how to define themselves. But, it also deals with more difficult struggles like those who live in non-traditional families as well as dysfunctional families. She dealt well with them, but a few parts were still a bit edgy--to edgy for youth fiction in my sheltered world.

As for the mystery I anticipated, it was minimal. When I first started reading the 9th graders' journals, I kept looking for clues I couldn't see many. Instead, I got sucked into their lives and their struggles as they explored the concept of family. I soon realized that the real point of the book was about different lives and how we come to accept our own lives within our own unique family circumstance. The murder mystery part was solved in the end, and I was a bit surprised, though not terribly surprised. Perhaps it wasn't foreshadowed well, but more likely, I just missed the clues because I was so absorbed in the lives of the individuals. At any rate, I thought the ending fit.

That said, I really enjoyed the books' exploration into the hidden side of our lives and how we deal with them. One of my takeaways is that when we hide too much, we only hurt ourselves (but, I've always believed that, anyway). Allred did an excellent job of writing with a different voice for each of the students. Although I must say that it was confusing to keep track of the different students. I am glad I read the book so I could go back and reread parts for clarification. The journals were all first-person, of course, as was the narrator's story. But, I was never confused at who was speaking.

I liked the aspect of writing for therapy. I liked the aspect of how teachers can make a difference in the lives of their students. I liked the undertones of faith that were prevalent yet subtle. I liked the clean perspective of the different students who all had family struggles of a wide and sometimes untraditional variety.

This book is the 2016 Whitney Award for General Fiction.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our local newspaper had such a glowing review of this book I decided I just had to read it. And while I understand that not everyone likes the same thing, I think the review I read was a teensy bit overdone.

That's not to say I didn't like the book. But then again, it's hard to say that I did. This book was...hard. There was much about this book that struck a negative feeling deep inside of me. Much that I disagreed with. And frankly, much that I thought wasn't necessary. (I mean really, what was left out of this book? It ran the gamut: murder, teen pregnancy, lesbian parents, infertility, drug use, intimidation - and surely there's something else I can't quite remember. So, yes, much to dislike.)

But then again, the writing was compelling enough that I absolutely HAD to keep reading. I had to find the resolution. There had to be some sense to all those characters and their coming together.

There are a number of things I could pick at, point out the flaws that seemed to jump out at me. And there were behaviors by characters that didn't seem to quite fit. Frankly, it isn't worth the effort because of the overall effect of the book.

I don't know that I would recommend this for light reading. Or necessarily for enjoyment. Mostly it is thought provoking, and I think bits and pieces will stick in my head for a while. My perspective is that this book is in a category all its own. And while I'm not sure I would urge anyone to read it, I'm not too unhappy about the few hours I spent deep in its pages.

[Debbie Denny · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I want to say how the author created her characters in this book. Each student has a journal. Each journal brings to life the unique human teen behind it. Quickly you will lose the fact that each student and their teacher were created triumphantly from Tara’s mind. Somewhat of a contradiction I find… a deliberate, yet spontaneous collection of words with substantial and tenacious characters.

Mrs Childs and her students face many challenges as the assumed private journals are seized for a murder investigation. As the thoughts and feelings are exposed, there are lessons to learn… changes to be made. For some there is acceptance to obtain.

[Book Geek Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Technically, this is a general novel, but there are some great mystery elements too. Overall, it was a good read. There was a murder mystery and a police investigation. Mrs. Child's, the teacher, pieced together some of the clues from the journals her students wrote in her creative writing class. These are the parts that I really, really liked.

The parts where she's obsessing about her relationship with her husband weakened the overall story line. Not that I mind her relationships being included in the story, I just didn't feel the writing in these parts was as strong as the rest of it.

4 stars.

[Nicole Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very engaging and it was hard to put down. It was easy to connect with all the characters and their struggles. They felt very real. This story isn't a story about miraculous happy endings, it is about real life and its challenges and the inner ability we have to overcome them. It isn't a depressing book, it is an inspiring book. Very well done.

[Tammy Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I binged read this book in almost one sitting. It explores what family means from different points of view. The voices of the students are authentic and riveting. This is a book that will make you think and will entertain you as well.

[Elizabeth Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book finalists for the Whitney Awards make me happy and this novel was one of them. 4.5 stars.

Deseret News review here: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/86...