Review by Booklist Review
Emi and her stuffed fox live high on a mountain in Japan, under a glorious ginkgo tree. After the first golden leaf of autumn falls, Emi saves it in the fox's pocket. When a violent storm snatches the fox away, head over paw, to land far from home, bedraggled and forlorn, he is rescued by Kiko, who is blind. Using her senses of touch and smell, she repairs the fox, mending its fur with tiny golden stitches. The seasons pass. The following autumn, golden leaves from a faraway ginkgo tree make a path across the lake, so Kiko and her ojiisan row across the lake, following the glimmering trail of leaves to arrive at Emi's home. The two girls sip warm kukicha twig tea while the happy fox says: "My stitched stuffed chest was like a seedpod filled full to the brim. Grateful. Restored. Loved." Three-dimensional collage illustrations using paper, fabric, and surfaces replicate the beautiful Japanese form of kintsugi (the art of repairing broken pieces with gold alloy) and the ancient philosophy of wabi-sabi (finding beauty in things that are imperfect and incomplete), encouraging artists to repair rather than replace. An inspiring cross-cultural message showing that our experiences make us stronger.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--A beloved stuffed animal makes an unintended journey in this thoughtful picture book about love, loss, and recovery. When Emi's toy fox is swept away in a storm, the fox finds a new home with another young girl, Kiko. Dirty and tattered after his tumultuous trip, the fox wonders if he is even worthy of being loved anymore, but Kiko gently mends him with golden thread and he discovers happiness anew. In the end, Kiko is able to reunite the fox with Emi, and the girls form a budding friendship. The fox's transformative adventure invites discussion about empathy, how to overcome difficulties, and the idea that one doesn't need to be perfect to be loved. An author's note explains that the mending of the fox recalls the Japanese concept of kintsugi, in which cracked pottery is repaired with gold, celebrating the beauty of imperfection. This theme is echoed with subtle, positive representation of disability, as Kiko is depicted in a wheelchair with a broken leg. Even after she heals over the passing seasons, she is shown walking with a cane, implying that her mobility challenges may be long-term--and that she's thriving nevertheless. Mixed-media illustrations created with crisp papercuts and fabrics in soft colors suit the story's pastoral Japanese setting. VERDICT This book will find an eager audience with readers of all ages. A first purchase for picture book collections.--Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A stuffed fox becomes broken in a storm. Emi and her stuffed fox live and play high on a Japanese mountain under a ginkgo tree. One day, when the first ginkgo leaf turns gold, a huge storm hits. The wind and rain bring down one of the tree branches and snatch the fox up into the midst of the storm, casting it down far away. Torn and broken and with a yellow ginkgo leaf in its pocket, the fox sits alone longing for home. Soon, it is found and brought to Kiko, a young girl in a wheelchair, who cleans and mends the fox with golden thread. Over the next year, Kiko and the fox play, heal, and become happy together. When autumn comes around again, it brings golden ginkgo leaves, and Kiko must decide if she should return the fox to his home. Del Rizzo creates a beautiful story inspired by the Japanese art form of kintsugi, mending broken pottery with gold. Feelings of brokenness, being unwanted, healing, and happiness are told from the fox's point of view. Illustrator Sato adds intricate 3-D imagery constructed from cut paper, fabrics, and other materials. The little details, like Kiko's leg healing over the year and the kintsugi pottery in both girls' homes, add to the charm of the story. All characters are Japanese, with some Japanese incorporated into the text. A beautiful story of healing and strength. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
