--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was a very quiet child, quite…" description: "\"I was a very quiet child, quite introverted, really. Independent, yes; I didn't need a lot of supervision. Less so than I did when I got older, maybe. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/john-boyne-2944_book_i-was-a-very-quiet-child-quite-introvert_2506250.jpg" --- # I was a very quiet child, quite introverted, really… ![“I was a very quiet child, quite introverted, really. Independent, yes; I didn't need a lot of supervision. Less so than I did when I got older, maybe. But I was a bookish child, not surprisingly. I could sit quite happily in a corner for hours and entertain myself with books.” quote by John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/john-boyne-2944_book_i-was-a-very-quiet-child-quite-introvert_2506250.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/john-boyne-2944_book_i-was-a-very-quiet-child-quite-introvert_2506250.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/john-boyne-2944_book_i-was-a-very-quiet-child-quite-introvert_2506250.jpg) > “I was a very quiet child, quite introverted, really. Independent, yes; I didn't need a lot of supervision. Less so than I did when I got older, maybe. But I was a bookish child, not surprisingly. I could sit quite happily in a corner for hours and entertain myself with books.” [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A quiet, introverted child finds comfort in books, preferring solitary imagination over supervision. **In simple terms:** Introverted children often thrive in solitary, creative activities. Key Takeaway Encourage reading as a healthy outlet. Themes introversion imagination independence Mood reflective thoughtful Type observational personal When to use this quote - school environment - home study - library time - creative play Key Concepts child development literature social anxiety Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance solitude with social interaction? - What books inspire your imagination? A Different Perspective May limit social skill development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Bookish Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bookish-child-1112429/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Corners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corners/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Introverted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/introverted/) [Introverted Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/introverted-really-1112428/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Quiet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet/) [Quiet Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet-child-329405/) [Quite Introverted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quite-introverted-484153/) [Supervision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supervision/) ## Related quotes > [I am a pretty good actor. Most of my friendships are based on the fact that I pretend to be outgoing and funny in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reese-roper/i-am-a-pretty-good-actor-most-of-my-friendships-are-based-on-the-fact-2/) [Reese Roper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reese-roper/) > [An introverted, bookish child, with a mass of complexes and her head full of crazy ideals and a childish faith in the beautiful prince…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lukyanenko/an-introverted-bookish-child-with-a-mass-of-complexes-and-her-head/) [Sergei Lukyanenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lukyanenko/) > [With regards to the paint, I'm normally quite introverted and shy. I keep myself to myself, and I find that when I hide behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-balor/with-regards-to-the-paint-i-m-normally-quite-introverted-and-shy-i/) [Finn Balor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-balor/) > [I am not somebody who feels comfortable socialising at parties where many film stars gather and endlessly chat, because I am quite introverted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amyra-dastur/i-am-not-somebody-who-feels-comfortable-socialising-at-parties-where/) [Amyra Dastur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amyra-dastur/) > [I think I'm quite an introverted person, but I don't do brilliantly well when completely alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-d-arcy/i-think-i-m-quite-an-introverted-person-but-i-don-t-do-brilliantly/) [Emma D'Arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-d-arcy/) > [But it's funny, I really was quite introverted as a child. I just liked music, so mum and dad bought me a piano when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcdonald/but-it-s-funny-i-really-was-quite-introverted-as-a-child-i-just-liked/) [Jane McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcdonald/) > [With a lot of songwriters, our habitat is the studio - being quite introverted, but finding ways to say things that you would never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/griff/with-a-lot-of-songwriters-our-habitat-is-the-studio-being-quite/) [Griff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/griff/) > [A lot of good actors tend to be quite introverted as people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-sher/a-lot-of-good-actors-tend-to-be-quite-introverted-as-people/) [Antony Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-sher/) > [I'm someone with a very strong personality, I'm quite introverted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-costa/i-m-someone-with-a-very-strong-personality-i-m-quite-introverted/) [Douglas Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-costa/) > [I'm quite introverted but I'm not shy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-keyes/i-m-quite-introverted-but-i-m-not-shy/) [Marian Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-keyes/) > [When I was younger, there was that desire to be cool and to fit in and to look a certain way. And I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/when-i-was-younger-there-was-that-desire-to-be-cool-and-to-fit-in-and/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [I was called a bookish child. Mother sent me to a ballet teacher in Cincinnati when I was nine years old. I guess I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-ellen/i-was-called-a-bookish-child-mother-sent-me-to-a-ballet-teacher-in/) [Vera-Ellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-ellen/) > [I was pretty quiet as a child. I kind of hung out with my family and listened to music and sh\*t. I wasn't too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hetfield/i-was-pretty-quiet-as-a-child-i-kind-of-hung-out-with-my-family-and/) [James Hetfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hetfield/) > [Training began with children who were taught to sit still and enjoy it. They were taught to use their organs of smell, to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-standing-bear/training-began-with-children-who-were-taught-to-sit-still-and-enjoy/) [Luther Standing Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-standing-bear/) > [“Even from those very first hours, Claire was an easy and quiet child. It was as though she already knew that she could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwidge-danticat/even-from-those-very-first-hours-claire-was-an-easy-and-quiet-child/) [Edwidge Danticat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwidge-danticat/) ## More by John Boyne > [“One single syllable of intimacy and the world is put to rights.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/one-single-syllable-of-intimacy-and-the-world-is-put-to-rights/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [“Bruno was jealous, he had to wear stupid pants en shoes while the boys at the other side of the fence were wearing nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/bruno-was-jealous-he-had-to-wear-stupid-pants-en-shoes-while-the-boys/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [ We all are \[normal\]. Their idea of normal just happens to be different to some other people's idea of normal. But this is the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/we-all-are-normal-their-idea-of-normal-just-happens-to-be-different/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [“Maybe there were no villains in my mother’s story at all. Just men and women, trying to do their best by each other. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/maybe-there-were-no-villains-in-my-mother-s-story-at-all-just-men-and/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [I think that books for young people should have serious and important themes, they shouldn't be trivial. So the books I write, they would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/i-think-that-books-for-young-people-should-have-serious-and-important/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [Just because a man glances up at the sky at night does not make him an astronomer, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/just-because-a-man-glances-up-at-the-sky-at-night-does-not-make-him/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [“Every man is afraid of women as far as I can see,” said Julian, displaying an understanding of the universe far beyond his years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/every-man-is-afraid-of-women-as-far-as-i-can-see-said-julian/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [I don't buy into the idea that an Irish writer should write about Ireland, or a gay writer should write about being gay. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/i-don-t-buy-into-the-idea-that-an-irish-writer-should-write-about/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [“For a moment he considered running across the platform to tell people about the empty seats in the carriage, but he decided not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/for-a-moment-he-considered-running-across-the-platform-to-tell-people/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [I move between the two: I write an adult novel, and then I write a children's book. I quite enjoy that. It's a nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/i-move-between-the-two-i-write-an-adult-novel-and-then-i-write-a/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [“Pavel is not a doctor any more, Bruno' said Maria quietly. 'But he was. In another life. Before he came here”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/pavel-is-not-a-doctor-any-more-bruno-said-maria-quietly-but-he-was-in/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [You’re my best friend, Shmuel,’ he said. ‘My best friend for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/you-re-my-best-friend-shmuel-he-said-my-best-friend-for-life/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [“Astonishing how everyone is willing to go abroad to fight for the rights of foreigners while having such little concern for those of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/astonishing-how-everyone-is-willing-to-go-abroad-to-fight-for-the/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [Bruno opened his eyes in wonder at the things he saw. In his imagination he had tough that all the huts were full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/bruno-opened-his-eyes-in-wonder-at-the-things-he-saw-in-his/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [I wrote my first book at 20, but my whole focus from about the age of 12 was to be a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/i-wrote-my-first-book-at-20-but-my-whole-focus-from-about-the-age-of/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) [Explore all 135 John Boyne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was a very quiet child, quite introverted, really. Independent, yes; I didn't need a lot of supervision. Less so than I did when I got older, maybe. But I was a bookish child, not surprisingly. I could sit quite happily in a corner for hours and entertain myself with books.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Boyne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/i-was-a-very-quiet-child-quite-introverted-really-independent-yes-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/i-was-a-very-quiet-child-quite-introverted-really-independent-yes-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/john-boyne-2944_book_i-was-a-very-quiet-child-quite-introvert_2506250.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/john-boyne-2944_book_i-was-a-very-quiet-child-quite-introvert_2506250.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/john-boyne-2944_book_i-was-a-very-quiet-child-quite-introvert_2506250.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was a very quiet child, quite introverted, really. Independent, yes; I didn't need a lot of supervision…” — John Boyne", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Boyne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was a very quiet child,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/i-was-a-very-quiet-child-quite-introverted-really-independent-yes-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/i-was-a-very-quiet-child-quite-introverted-really-independent-yes-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```