FICTION

How to Mend a Heart

by Sara GILLINGHAM
illus. by Sara Gillingham. 40p. ebook available. Random. Dec. 2015. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780553510935.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 2—With his favorite toy in tatters on the floor, a little boy sits tearful and alone. Sympathetic friends come to his aid, and a sewing metaphor outlines the steps needed to mend not only a torn stuffed animal but also a broken heart. This loving endeavor requires "gentle hands" and "one stitch at a time" patience. A circle of "helping hands" offer support. Some of the analogies between sewing and heartbreak will require explanation, such as "the more patches and seams there are the bigger and stronger a heart can be." Gillingham's woodcut illustrations are full of eye-catching swatches of color, patterns, and shapes. The diverse bunch of children wear their hearts on their sleeves, with emotions ranging from wide-eyed concentration to head-in-hands frustration to joyful contentment.
VERDICT Despite some oblique references, this is a lyrical lesson in friendship.
Reviewed by Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada
The texts for these attractive books give simple metaphorical tips for making a friends and cheering up--"don't let your friend get stuck in the weeds"; "go one stitch at a time"--while the illustrations show kids planting and nurturing a flower seed and sewing a fabric heart. For her pleasing compositions, Gillingham uses geometric shapes and patterns in springtime colors. Review covers these titles: How to Grow a Friend and How to Mend a Heart.
 , Dec 01, 2015

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