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Launch into a look at the future–and the past–with MISSION MOON, publishing by Helvetiq, spanning the earliest satellites to the 1960s Space Race to life aboard the International Space Station. Plus it looks to the future by examining the new for-profit space race, international moon rover expeditions, and the upcoming Artemis missions, which plan to put humans on the moon again as early as 2026. Author and illustrator Sarah Mühlebach details the many endeavors to reach the moon—from ancient dreamers to daring astronauts from countries around the globe. Explore this one through a NetGalley download to discover why you want to add it to your middle grade informational books collection!

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  • Gold threads shot through a pattern of blue flowers and vines against a white ground
    Kintsugi: The Art of Repair
    by CMoorehead

    The Japanese art of kintsugi has been drifting increasingly into the imaginations and hearts of people around the world.  In the United States, Europe, and beyond, kintsugi has been the stuff of art discussions, social media videos—and children’s books.

    Cover of Imperfectly Perfect shows a small girl crouched by a cracked pavement from which a weed grows
    English language cover shows a small Asian child holding a large cracked bowl-shaped vase
    Spanish language cover shows a small Asian child holding a large cracked bowl-shaped vase

    Here in our Publisher Spotlight corner, we have recently represented two beautiful children’s books exploring kintsugi: IMPERFECTLY PERFECT, by Perry Emerson, illustrated by Hoang Giang, and published Tiger Tales Books, and THE VASE WITH THE GOLDEN CRACKS (available also in its original Spanish edition, EL JARRÓN DE LAS GRIETAS DORADAS), written by Fran Nuño, illustrated by Zuzanna Celej, translated from Spanish by Jon Brokenbrow, and published by  from Cuento de Luz Books. 

    First, let’s pause for a moment to discuss kintsugi.

    Originally from Japan, the art of kintsugi embraces the philosophy that although something may have broken—in practical terms, a porcelain or pottery object—it is worth fixing.  And once fixed, the object ends up even more beautiful and meaningful than before.

    Kintsugi is the process of putting the shards of a broken cup or bowl back together using gold.  Once repaired, the object is whole once more, delicate pieces of porcelain woven together by bright, shining lines of gold.

    However, while gold is a material used in this art, kintsugi is much MUCH more than gold.

    Color photo of a lacquer tree in a botanical garden

    True kintsugi (“kin” meaning gold, and “tsugi” meaning to join) traditionally is not related to the use of gold per se, but instead to urushi, or lacquerware, where the connecting material is the sap extracted from a lacquer tree (urushi).    When wet, this sap is a powerful irritant and can cause extreme allergic reactions if touched. However once dry, urushi is extremely strong and durable. 

    It is this delicate urushi material that, when still wet, is sprinkled with gold powder—a process called makie.  Far beyond its beauty, gold is used because it is a non-reactive metal making it safe for items used for food or drink.  And while gold is the most common metal used for kintsugi, silver—gin—can also be used to create gintsugi. 

    But what does all this have to do with these children’s books?

    In IMPERFECTLY PERFECT and THE VASE WITH THE GOLDEN CRACKS,the art of kintsugi takes center stage for the young main characters as physical examples of ideas that go far beyond fixing something broken.  Each young character learns the value of repairing objects—and through the objects, relationships—that seem to be irreparably broken.  Along the way they discover the powerful rewards for being honest, as well as the ever-present possibility of redeeming oneself when mistakes are made. 

    Viewing and creating art for both practical and philosophical purposes is a practice not unique to Japan, but one shared across all cultures.  Around the globe each artistic creation has the potential to inspire both the creators and the viewers to see our everyday lives through new eyes.  This potential is at the heart of sharing stories as well, with these two kintsugi-inspired tales certainly serving as excellent examples. 

    To learn more about the art of kitsugi, please enjoy this interview with Kintsugi Artist and Urushi master Mio Heki from the Kyoto Journal.

    Here is a pronunciation key to the Japanese words in this article:

    Kin                                              keen

    Kintsugi                                  keen-tsoo-gi

    Gin                                             jeen

    Gintsugi                                 jeen-tsoo-gi

    Urushi                                     oo-roo-shee

    Makie                                       mah-key-ay

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