Overview

Author Waka T. Brown and artist Yuko Jones join forces for this picture book about a young girl who learns to appreciate life’s imperfections when her grandmother teachers her about the Japanese art form kintsugi. Miki Amelia Masuda liked everything in her life to be perfect. Her room was immaculately clean. She only ate round cookies, not the broken ones. And if a stuffed animal had a tear in it, she couldn't bear to look at it. So when she accidentally drops and breaks her favorite teacup, she’s devastated. How can a broken teacup ever be perfect again Days later, Miki's grandmother, Obaachan, presents Miki with the fixed teacup. But it’s not perfect! Each crack is highlighted by a gold streak of paint—almost as if to show off the imperfections! What follows is one girl’s journey to understanding that life isn’t always perfect. Through the art of kintsugi, Waka and Yuko show readers—and Miki—that rips, cracks, and tears have their own stories to tell, ones that are meaningful in their own way. 

Full Product Details

9780063280229

Table of Contents

Reviews

"“Universal emotions and cultural specifics combine to tell a story whose words and art are a perfect match for each other in their charm and lyricism. What a lovely book."" — Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestselling author Perfect is a tender, charming story sure to resonate with the smallest readers. Alongside Miki, they will discover that what appears dire and chaotic often leads to new and sometimes even better ways of seeing the world.     — Eric Rohmann, Caldecott Award-winning medalist of My Friend Rabbit"

"“Universal emotions and cultural specifics combine to tell a story whose words and art are a perfect match for each other in their charm and lyricism. What a lovely book."" — Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestselling author"

Author Information

Waka T. Brown was the first American born in her family. She is a Stanford graduate with a Master's in Secondary Education. With her background, she's worked to further U.S.-Japan relations, promoting cultural exchange and awareness. She's currently an instructor at the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE), authoring curriculum on several international topics, and winning the Association for Asian Studies' national Franklin Buchanan Prize. She's also been awarded the U.S.-Japan Foundation and EngageAsia's national 2019 Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher award for her groundbreaking endeavors in teaching about U.S.-Japan relations to high school students in Japan. While I Was Away is her memoir, and also her debut. She lives with her family in Portland, Oregon.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available