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Sonam and the Silence
In Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, Sonam's world is dark and silent. Then one day, she follows a magical melodious sound to a walled garden, and her world is silent no more. The sound is music, and it lifts her up amongst the stars and takes her deeper than the tree roots in the earth. How can she hold on to this feeling in a world where music is forbidden? A lyrical fable-like story by the well-known musician, author, and broadcaster Eddie Ayres, about the irrepressible power of music.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2018
1 person is currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Eddie Ayres
6 books30 followersEddie Ayres has a lifetime of musical experience - from learning the viola as a child in England and playing with the Hong Kong Philharmonic for many years, to learning the cello in his thirties and landing in Australia to present an extremely successful ABC Classic FM morning radio show. But all of this time Eddie was Emma Ayres.
In 2014 Emma was spiralling into a deep depression, driven by anguish about her gender. She quit the radio, travelled, and decided on a surprising path to salvation - teaching music in a war zone. Emma applied for a position at Dr Sarmast's renowned Afghanistan National Institute of Music in Kabul, teaching cello to orphans and street kids.
In Danger Music, Eddie takes us through the bombs and chaos of Kabul, into the lives of the Afghan children who are transported by Bach, Abba, Beethoven and their own exhilarating Afghan music. Alongside these epic experiences, Emma determines to take the final steps to secure her own peace; she becomes the man always there inside - Eddie.
In 2014 Emma was spiralling into a deep depression, driven by anguish about her gender. She quit the radio, travelled, and decided on a surprising path to salvation - teaching music in a war zone. Emma applied for a position at Dr Sarmast's renowned Afghanistan National Institute of Music in Kabul, teaching cello to orphans and street kids.
In Danger Music, Eddie takes us through the bombs and chaos of Kabul, into the lives of the Afghan children who are transported by Bach, Abba, Beethoven and their own exhilarating Afghan music. Alongside these epic experiences, Emma determines to take the final steps to secure her own peace; she becomes the man always there inside - Eddie.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 28, 2019
‘Sonam turns seven and she is no longer a child.’
Once I learned that Eddie Ayres had written a children’s book set in Afghanistan, I knew I had to read it. I’d previously read his book about his own travels (‘Danger Music’) and knew of the work he has done with young musicians in Afghanistan. Eddie is known to many of us as an ABC Classic music presenter.
This is a picture book, and while I can imagine some parents reading it to their preschool aged children, those reading it for themselves are more likely to be middle or upper primary school aged.
So, what is this beautifully illustrated book about?
When the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 1996 and banned music of any kind, it was devastating. Sonam is a young girl (by western standards) who lives with her family in Kabul and earns money by selling chewing gum on the city streets. One day, on her way home, she hears an old man playing music on a rubab. The joy this brings to Sonam, the beauty of the music, has her returning each day to listen. The old man gives his rubab to Sonam, but music is now forbidden in Afghanistan. What will Sonam do? Can she again find the joy the music gave her?
The story is accompanied by Ronak Taher’s beautiful drawings: gardens, stunning images, beautiful colours.
The story touches on several different themes, including courage, curiosity, the role of music in life and the impact of repression.
As Eddie Ayres asks us to consider, in his Authors Note at the end of the book, what would it be like to live in a world without music?
A beautiful book.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Once I learned that Eddie Ayres had written a children’s book set in Afghanistan, I knew I had to read it. I’d previously read his book about his own travels (‘Danger Music’) and knew of the work he has done with young musicians in Afghanistan. Eddie is known to many of us as an ABC Classic music presenter.
This is a picture book, and while I can imagine some parents reading it to their preschool aged children, those reading it for themselves are more likely to be middle or upper primary school aged.
So, what is this beautifully illustrated book about?
When the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 1996 and banned music of any kind, it was devastating. Sonam is a young girl (by western standards) who lives with her family in Kabul and earns money by selling chewing gum on the city streets. One day, on her way home, she hears an old man playing music on a rubab. The joy this brings to Sonam, the beauty of the music, has her returning each day to listen. The old man gives his rubab to Sonam, but music is now forbidden in Afghanistan. What will Sonam do? Can she again find the joy the music gave her?
The story is accompanied by Ronak Taher’s beautiful drawings: gardens, stunning images, beautiful colours.
The story touches on several different themes, including courage, curiosity, the role of music in life and the impact of repression.
As Eddie Ayres asks us to consider, in his Authors Note at the end of the book, what would it be like to live in a world without music?
A beautiful book.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
August 27, 2018
Sublime, meaningful, significant. A triumph of art, words and wisdom.
August 31, 2018
Glowing with simplicity and beauty. The few elegant words are complemented by the superb paintings.
October 6, 2022
Sonam lives with her mom and brothers in a small house in Kabul, Afghanistan. Her mom and older brother work to support the family. When Sonam turned seven, her brother told her she was no longer a child and needed to cover her head and work. But Sonam is only a child. So she continued to live her playful, carefree life. Then, one day, she heard a sound and followed it and met an old man. The old man introduced her to music and an instrument to play. Sonam learned music from the old man until her brother found it one day. He hid the instrument as music is forbidden in the region. After that, Sonam became unhappy and withdrawn. What happened to Sonam? Did she meet the old man again? Did she play again?
We picked this book for its beautiful cover. Though set in a war zone, the story beautifully portrays a little girl’s hope and finding solace in music. The illustrations are as poetic as the story itself.
Sonam and the Silence by Eddie Ayres is an elegantly illustrated book narrating a story of hope and faith.
Read the full review at Nothing But Picture Books
We picked this book for its beautiful cover. Though set in a war zone, the story beautifully portrays a little girl’s hope and finding solace in music. The illustrations are as poetic as the story itself.
Sonam and the Silence by Eddie Ayres is an elegantly illustrated book narrating a story of hope and faith.
Read the full review at Nothing But Picture Books
July 11, 2019
Brilliant idea, brilliant illustrations, but the script isn’t powerful; not moving/engaging
May 13, 2019
Wow! I'm blown away. This is such a beautiful book! The art is extraordinary and the entire presentation of the book from the textured surface on the front cover to the glossy pages, the font, the colour palette of each page creating the mood to complement the deeply moving story, just makes for a truly special publication.
October 4, 2025
While the illustrations were beautiful to look at, I am unable to justify Sonam meeting an old man to ignite her passion of music. The mama bear in me was worried reading the story even if it was fictional.
January 5, 2020
A beautiful, poetically told story about a child's absence of music in Afghanistan, and how she is encouraged to find it in herself. Lovely emotional illustrations accompany the story.
February 28, 2022
A book about a person named Sonam who is from Afghanistan and finds an instrument that they learn to play.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews