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 .

X. Fang does it again! The beautiful illustrations tell a wonderful story about guilt and forgiveness. Ama's attitude was so heartwarming and her words of wisdom had me welling up. I can't wait till this is published so I can bring it home to my kiddo!