We all make mistakes. It’s impossible to not make any mistakes. Then why do we instill so much fear of making mistakes in children? Is it necessary to give them punishment for unwilling mistakes? Can’t we accept their mistakes gently? I think Roy’s Noisy Secret conveys this message subtly, but effectively.
The book is about a boy named Roy. While trying to wear his grandmother’s precious anklet, Roy finds that one of the anklets is stuck in his ankle. He is afraid of getting scolded and punished by his parents as he had been warned not to come into the parent’s room in their absence. So, he tries to hide this secret. To cover up, he starts lying, which causes a feeling of guilt. After a few days, when his parents look for the anklet and get worried, Roy’s feelings of fear and guilt get further combined with shame.