Golden Threads
Written by Suzanne Del Rizzo
Illustrated by Miki Sato
Owlkids Books — Spring 2020
From 4 to 8 | 32 pages
A beloved toy fox becomes lost, tattered, repaired, and loved for his imperfections.
When a storm sweeps Emi’s beloved stuffed fox away from their mountain home, the fox ends up tattered and alone on a distant shore. A kind old man finds the fox and gives it to his granddaughter, Kiko. As she recovers from an injury of her own, Kiko mends the fox lovingly with golden thread.
As the seasons pass, Kiko cares for the fox as her own. But after discovering his origins, she sets out, with her grandfather’s help, to bring the fox back to its original home. Once together, Emi and Kiko piece together the fox’s journey and find delight in their newly forged connections.
Golden Threads is inspired by the Japanese art form of kintsugi, or golden joinery, where broken pottery is repaired with resin painted gold. Kintsugi values repairing, rather than replacing, believing that the cracks give the broken item its story. This book is also a warm celebration of wabi-sabi, the Japanese idea that there is beauty in things that may be incomplete or imperfect.
Awards and Honours:
Finalist in the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards (2021)
Finalist in the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award (2021)
Reviews:
“A beautiful story of healing and strength.”
— Kirkus Reviews
★ “An inspiring cross-cultural message showing that our experiences make us stronger.”
— Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
★ “Encourages children to find beauty in imperfections and strength in adversity.”
— Foreword Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
★ “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.”
— School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW