A digital copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my opinions and review.

My second X Fang title! I love, love, love this book! The content, plot, characters and illustrations are gorgeous. Pastel is rarely used in children's illustrations, but has been making an appearance in the art world (amongst social media-based artists, at least). I loved this story and its relatability. I think the journey the main character goes on, along with the addition of the cat will resonate with young readers and their adults. This is definite a title I will be adding to my classroom library and I whole-heartedly recommend you add it to yours, too.

X. Fang does it again. This is a wonderful book about responsibility and forgiveness. The representation is wonderful. Family is the central focus. When the child breaks the mug, she is afraid of her Ama's reaction and runs to hide, only to find that Ama thinks the cat has broken the cup. The child then learns the effects of guilt and ownership. The illustrations and message are wonderful and I will definitely be getting this for my elementary school library.

This book had a positive message and described how a child might feel. Great book to start class discussion about honesty and forgiveness. I really enjoyed the cat illustrations.

Mei Mei only meant to scare the sleeping cat... but instead she knocks over and breaks her ama's beloved tea cup! Eaten up by guilt, Mei Mei dreads her ama finding out. Will Mei Mei blame the innocent cat, or can she come clean?

The moody blue vs bright orange colour palette and short, impactful wordchoice make the stakes feel incredibly high - it really feels like you're a kid again, faced with a mistake that feels world-ending. Playful like X. Fang's other books, with shades of Dim Sum Palace's atmosphere and eeriness. Such a heart of gold in this one too. The more I think about it, the more I like it! I'll definitely be giving this to customers when it comes out.

I related to Mei Mei in this story because as a kid, I also accidentally broke some things while playing. It’s such a relatable story and helps kids communicate to their adults what happens in the situation. I think X. Fang does a wonderful job of portraying how the guilt eats away at Mei Mei as well as the relief she feels when revealing the truth and seeing Ama’s reaction.

When Mei Mei accidentally breaks Ama's cup, she worries how Ama might react... but what if Ama doesn't realize it was Mei Mei at all? Should Mei Mei tell the truth, or let Mimi, Ama's cat, take the blame?

This deceptively simple premise is executed brilliantly at every turn, from the pitch-perfect text to the expressive illustrations to the thoughtful and dynamic composition of each spread. Every young reader can relate to making mistakes, the fear of getting in trouble, the temptation of lying, and the desire to right a wrong. In this title, Fang deftly explores these ideas in an accessible, humorous way that will make for a fantastic read aloud.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this arc.
Broken is a cute story that follows Meimei as she navigates telling the truth about who broke her Ama’s cup.

I found the story to be accurate regarding how children react to situations and encourages them to tell the truth. The feelings, the reactions, and thought process were so accurate. If you work with kids, this is a good way to teach them about telling the truth without being worried about consequences. I cannot wait to incorporate this into my work.

3.5 - 4 Stars

This was cute, charming, and funny. I love X Fang’s illustrations, and “We Are Definitely Human” is an all time fave (literally laugh out loud funny). Broken has the same gorgeous illustrations, effortless charm, and a sense of humour, which I adored, all with a beautiful message at its heart. I had fun!

This book was perfect until the penultimate two spreads when the lens shifts to center the grandmother (rather than the girl who so boisterously carried the story thus far) and serves up a conclusion on a plate rather than letting readers reach it for themselves.

That said, along the way, Fang delivers an electric visual representation of the internal turmoil of a kid who screwed up (and tried to cover it up). This could make a fun, fresh mentor text for teaching personal narratives.

I took particular joy in a faceoff sequence between the narrator and her cat-as-would-be-scapegoat.

X Fang has done it again! I love all of her books, and Broken is no exception. While slightly more traditional than her past work, Broken still retains that off beat charm I’ve loved in Dim Sum Palace and We Are Definitely Human.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada (Tundra Books) for providing an advance copy of this book.

This book is magic. Not only are X. Fang's illustrations simply stunning, but the lesson of the story is an important one taught in a beautiful way. This book was enjoyed by fourth graders who engaged in deep conversation as sparked by the book: when is it important to tell the truth? In what ways does guilt show up? How do you repair if you've made a mistake? This is a book that will absolutely find a home in our school library and will be enjoyed by students and teachers alike.

X. Fang is a must read. She has a way of writing children's books about important topics that children need to learn. So many children will benefit from understanding how to process their big feelings from this book. I would highly recommend that Broken be in every primary classroom, school counselors office, and school library!

I love this book! Beautiful illustrations (as always from Fang!) with so much humour and character, and a wonderful story and moral.

In X. Fang's new picture book, a child accidently breaks her grandmother's cup. The anxiety some children may experience--the fear of telling the truth--in a situation like this is really well portrayed. Fang somehow gives the whole story levity and humor while honoring those feelings, and (ultimately) the truth itself.

Another fantastic book by X Fang. Perfectly captures a young person's first encounter with shame and the impulse to lie--and ultimately the importance of telling the truth and learning to face up to mistakes. Artwork is thoughtful (and beautiful) and the language represents the though process of children in a lighthearted and humorous way!

Broken by X. Fang is a poignant picture book that delves into the themes of guilt, forgiveness, and the gentle art of mending—not just objects, but relationships and hearts.

The story follows Mei Mei, a young girl visiting her Ama, and her cat, Mimi. In a moment of boredom, Mei Mei frightens Mimi, causing a cup to fall and break. Overcome with fear of punishment, she hides outside, expecting Ama's anger. However, to her surprise, Ama doesn't reprimand her; instead, she reassures Mei Mei that the broken cup can be fixed, teaching her that mistakes are opportunities for growth and understanding.

This narrative beautifully illustrates how children internalize fear of punishment and how compassionate responses can foster trust and emotional healing. The story emphasizes the importance of choosing kind words and grace when things go wrong, highlighting that the way we discipline shapes children's confidence and sense of self-worth.

X. Fang's Broken is a heartfelt reminder that what is broken can be mended, and that love and understanding are powerful tools in nurturing resilient and empathetic individuals.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada (Tundra Books) for providing an advance copy of this book.

Guilt is a hard feeling for young kids. And saying the words, "I'm sorry" can be incredibly difficult. Broken does a fabulous job of depicting guilt and the forgiveness that goes along with it in a kid-friendly way. A sweet story of a young child, their grandmother, and a broken cup. As with X. Fang's other works, this one is fabulous!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I adore everything X Fang creates, and this is no exception. Yes, it centres a broken mug mended through forgiveness, but this is no formulaic kintsungi tale. What could've been, in any other author's hands, a straightforward story of mistake/guilt/truth/forgiveness is heightened by THE DRAMA that X Fang delivers SO well.

The visual humor is so cinematic that you're immediately pulled into the thick of story. You feel the boredom of the mundane, the panic of an accidental error, and the warm glow of the sun on your face as you close your eyes to the negativity of the world. You empathize with Mei Mei who is terrified of being booted from the family for breaking a mug. You feel the mounting pressure to tell the truth as the scenes rapidly cut between reality and CAT, Heart pounding, blood rushing, guilt tripping, it's all too much for poor Mei Mei!

Of course, it's a picture book, so we get our happy ending. All is forgiven, the mug mended, and Mei Mei is still loved by Ama, But we're not left without some subtle foreshadowing... A PostScript image of Mimi the cat in a precarious position presents an open opportunity for inferential discussion and writing prompts.

Families and libraries like will flock to this for its relatable narrative and equally relatable theatrics. Another slam dunk from X Fang.l

The adorable illustrations and sweetly relatable story make this a perfect read-aloud for young children. When a little girl visits her grandmother's house and tries to scare the cat she ends up knocking over her grandmother's cup and breaking it.

Though she tries to avoid the problem in several attempts, her grandmother finds out the truth and helps her confront the problem. There is a lovely lesson in honesty, forgiveness, repair, and the enduring love a grandmother has. The endpapers are adorable as well, as we see the cat adding another funny mishap that wordlessly conveys the next event.

I highly recommend this for read-alouds in schools and libraries.

I truly enjoyed this book. Everyone has broken something and felt horrible about it at one time or another. This story helps children realize that they are better off telling the truth and taking the consequences because most of the time the truth will set you free .