Small Things Mended

by Casey W. Robinson, Nancy Whitesides (Illustrator)

The healing power of community is tenderly expressed in this picture book for fans of A Sick Day for Amos McGee and Last Stop on Market Street.

Kindly Cecil has a broken heart, but when the kids in his neighborhood start asking him to fix their valuables—a music box, a watch, a stuffed elephant—he gradually finds that he knows just how to do this mending. And in return, his circle of new friends offers the mending that his own heart needs.

This gentle, kindhearted story brings the generations of a community together to sustain and enrich one another, and it beautifully showcases the value of fixing things―and loving their history―rather than quickly discarding them.

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Grief, Childrens, Fiction, Contemporary, Disability

40 pages, Hardcover

Published March 19, 2024

Reviews

[Alexandra Hinrichs · Rating 5 out of 5]

SMALL THINGS MENDED is a tender exploration of the things we break and the power of repair. Casey W. Robinson's scrumptious words pair perfectly with Nancy Whitesides's warm, playful illustrations to celebrate things worth hanging onto, including neighbors, community, and connection. This book belongs in every library, in every heart.

[Kate Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having my heart squeezed by picture books is my new favorite hobby. 🧡

Please note, the representation of community in this includes at least one, possibly two, LGBT+ families.

[Sharon Skinner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartfelt and lovely. This PB has that awwww factor that I love.

[Cathy Mealey · Rating 5 out of 5]

MAKE A FRIEND, MEND A HEART! urges the back cover of the delightful Small Things Mended. Cecil discovers that while his wrenches and tweezers repair small treasures including a pocket watch, music box, rockets and robots, it is Cecil's thoughtful, generous and sensitive nature that restores, nourishes and unites a community which embraces him in return. Delightful illustrations to pore over accompany a lovely, lyrical text that warms the heart and restores faith in our ability to discover new ways to heal, connect and support one another no matter what challenges arise.

[Kelly K.]

Reminded me of a favorite book from my own childhood: Mr. Bell's Fixit Shop

[Stephanie ((Strazzybooks)) · Rating 4 out of 5]

a lovely little book to make your heart happy. themes of community and friendship.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable.

[Angela De Groot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tender and touching story about connection and community. Some broken things can be repaired in an hour or a day. Other broken things need more time and tinkering. I love how an unexpected encounter changes everyone’s lives. Beautiful art.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

RECOMMEND WITH CAUTION

This is such a wonderful story about healing your heart by inviting others into it. I loved just about everything about it EXCEPT there is a picture with what appears to be a little boy with two moms. It could have been a top ten favorite of this year otherwise.

[Joyce Uglow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Casey Robinson and Nancy Whitesides truly delivered a heartfelt picture book in SMALL THINGS MENDED, published by Rocky Pond Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

We never really find out why Cecil is sad, but we soon see how he mends the heart of others. We suspect that Cecil has lost a loved one who had taken care of their neglected garden. In true picture book form, children subtly help Cecil realize that fixing things is a forgotten labor of love for him. Simple repair jobs lead to more complex tasks. In fact, Eleanor's request for Cecil to fix her stuffie's broken heart leads to humming and healing and mending much more than the toy.

I highly recommend SMALL THINGS MENDED for school counselors when discussions about grief need a soft touch. Public and school librarians, please add this book to your shelves - if you haven't already. It is certainly true to the book jacket's description. "In this gentle, touching story about grief and how to heal, the generations of a community gather to sustain and enrich each other."

[Nicole Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.

        Cecil was having breakfast when the little girl from next door broke her pocket watch in his driveway. Can Cecil remember how to fix it? Oh, this story pulls at my heartstrings! Such a simple start that leads to a community coming together to fix the heart of a toy elephant and tears welling in my eyes. The illustrations are wonderfully simple and yet detailed. The dog is adorable and the way Cecil takes every request so seriously is inspiring. What I love the most though, is that this is not a story about what happened to Cecil's eye or his wife or even really depression. It's about the act of helping someone that leads to helping yourself and your community. There is even a bit of an environmental stewardship involved in that repairing instead of throwing something away is always better. A really wonderful book with so many good messages.

[Sue Hodara · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a lot of talk in #kidlit circles about "quiet" books, and whether they will resonate with young readers.

As an author, mom, and picture book fan, I'm not sure why there's a debate. Life is made up of many small, quiet moments. SMALL THINGS MENDED celebrates this in a myriad of ways. Casey Robinson's tender, lyrical, and sometime spare text leaves plenty of room for readers to linger over Nancy Whitesides' muted, sweet, soft yet playful illustrations.

The story itself is a simple, yet profound tale of connection over the treasures we accumulate that need mending, the gardens we grow that need tending, and the common ground we share when sharing meals communally.

Readers of all ages will appreciate this well crafted picture book.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew...it's always the most simplistic stories that warm your heart the most.

Small Things Mended is not just about a main character who fixes things for his community, but it's about rediscovering the things you love the most after dealing with loss and heartbreak. While it isn't clearly stated in the book, it is clear that the main character has isolated himself due to grief that he's dealing with after the loss of his partner. With the help of the children in the community, he begins to open himself back up to making friends and finds some healing of his own while trying to fix the broken belongings of the community. This was well done and beautiful. I wasn't a huge fan of the artwork, but the messaging is effectively and quietly woven into the framework of story.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do I get to write, "sweetest book" for this one, too? Yes! Older Cecil seems sad and when a young neighbor sings, dances, but loses something from her pocket, a watch, she asks if he could fix it. He says he will try and thus begins a story that makes Cecil and a whole neighborhood of people happy as time goes by. Cecil realizes he had forgotten how much he liked to fix things! Casey W. Robinson grows the story to include a lot of smiles and fixing, with a happy ending readers will applaud. The illustrations by Nancy Whitesides fill the pages with soft, beautiful watercolors of smiling people and pets, a sign that reads "Cecil's Repair Shop", "Small Things Mended", and another sign toward the end that will mend a lot of hearts, too!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet, quiet and thoughtful book about an older man, Cecil, who is lonely and sad. When he fixes a young neighbor's watch, he remembers the joy of not only fixing things but connecting with someone. As the word spreads, Cecil is in great demand and loving meeting and helping his neighbors.

This is a lovely story about the importance of connections. It also hits on a wonderful and unusual topic - the value of fixing things - not just throwing them out and buying something new.

This would be a terrific book for a story time and as a discussion/writing prompt in an elementary setting. Charming!

[Alice Bianchi-Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture-book is enchanting. It resonates with E. Stead's A Sick Day for Amos McGee vibes with its old man protagonist and its message of healing and community, but comes into its own by tackling grief with an exquisite lightness of touch. Casey W. Robinson's careful choice of words stirs and resonates, while Nancy Whitesides's pink elephant and old-fashioned illustrations, culminating with a warm extravaganza of pastels, tugs at the heartstrings. Keep your eyes peeled because this trailblazer of a picture-book deserves to win the most coveted awards.

[Zan Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindly Cecil has a broken heart, but when the kids in his neighborhood start asking him to fix their valuables--a music box, a watch, a stuffed elephant--he gradually finds that he knows just how to do this mending. And in return, his circle of new friends offers the mending that his own heart needs. This story brings the generations of a community together to sustain and enrich one another, and it beautifully showcases the value of fixing things--and loving their history--rather than quickly discarding them."--

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked parts of this, but I really didn't like other parts. A man starts fixing things for neighborhood children. That part is heartfelt. But the author keeps making references to his bad eye without explaining what happened to it. And in the middle of the book, he talks about how he's been away from his garden for too long, but this is the first time it was ever even mentioned. The broken elephant heart was very vague and confusing. Wonderful beginning, but kind of took a nose dive for me after that.

[Christie Kaaland · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sweet neighborhood elderly Cecil is saddened by some unnamed tragedy (likely recent widowhood). The children in the neighbor come to him, an expert repairman, and ask for his help in repairing items that need mending: a music box and a watch. In the process Cecil's heart begins to mend as well. The soft pastel illustrations perfectly match the gentle tone of this intergenerational, community story.

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Affecting story of a heartbroken man whose life takes a turn when he fixes a child's broken watch, leading to his fixing any number of 'small things'. By the story's end he has opened his heart - and his home - to all that his community has to offer. Lovely illustrations by Nancy Whitesides. Extra points for a swell little dog.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this story with so much heart as an old man decides he is good at fixing things and takes toys from children and fixes them. Then he works in his garden and invites the neighbors in to enjoy the produce and offers to fix more small toys and items. The story shows he may be alone and needs friends and neighbors to share with and fix things. Heartfelt quiet story.

[Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book by chance when I was searching online for books about mending (which is my jam - I'm a professional mender). It's all about mending things, mending broken hearts and community. Sweet without being too 'let's teach kids a lesson and disguise it as a story' sweet, and I cried happy tears at the end. My kids like it, too, and have requested it at story time.

[Laura Roettiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful intergeneration book sharing community coming together in the most wonderful way possible. The writing is exquisite with such lovely word choices and the biggest emotions you can pack into a book for all ages. Highly recommend. I'm going to twice-tap my heart every time I think of this delightful story.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book. Oh this book! Be prepared to be thoroughly charmed. I don't want to spoil any of the goodness, so just take my word for it and read it yourself. Your day will be better for it. And any day after that you choose to re-read it. 5/5 stars, no notes.

[Lauri Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovely soft story about a man who starts doing repairs of small items for neighbors. But when a girl brings a stuffed elephant with a broken heart, he's not sure he can fix the problem. After a few attempts he has the idea of hosting a garden party because " a broken heart needs friends."

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lonely old man fixes his young neighbor's watch. Her friend asks if he can fix his music box. Rediscovering his joy in fixing things he puts out a sign, but when a young girl asks him to mend her stuffed elephant's broken heart, it takes some serious thought.

[Aileen Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard the author read this book and speak about it and instantly fell in love with the story. It is a story of loss and grief, but it is also the story of finding new connections and learning to move on. Truely well written and illustrated, this story is a must read!

[Abbigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not allowed to read picture books about loneliness or making friends anymore-- too emotional. But this book is perfect-- friendship, caring for our things and our neighbors, gardening, little stuffed elephants-- all you need.

[Charlotte Glaze · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. I love the old man and how giving back to community around him brought him out of his own sadness and back into the world around him. All his little mended toys and trinkets were also cute.

[Carol Gordon Ekster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written tender book about mending the heart with friends. Gorgeous illustrations. Such a sweet picture book.