Small Things Mended

“Whitesides’ soft, cozy illustrations capture Cecil’s detailed restoration work but also hint at a life shared with a beloved spouse, now gone. Robinson’s gentle prose guides readers along Cecil’s healing journey. This tender story will resonate with young readers processing grief of their own. A sweet story about the fixes made possible by generosity and community.” —Publishers Weekly

“A heartwarming story, in which Robinson’s straightforward narration and Whitesides’s softly tinted, painting-like spreads underscore the role of community in healing.” —Publishers Weekly


★ “This is a soft and gentle book sharing the importance of community and friendship in healing a brokenheart. While on the surface this appears to be a quiet and muted narrative, it can spark lengthy discussions about the importance of community, the beauty of fixing things rather than discarding them, and the path to healing after immeasurable loss.” —School Library Journal, starred review

Casey W. Robinson grew up in Maine and used to keep a shoe box of favorite words and phrases under her bed. She now lives with her family just west of Boston, in a house overflowing with books. When she’s not writing, Casey is managing book events for her local independent bookstore. Her debut picture book, Iver & Ellsworth, was a Crystal Kite Award Finalist.

Nancy Whitesides is an author and self-taught illustrator born and raised in the Philippines and now based in California. Her picture book debut, Grief Is an Elephant by Tamara Ellis Smith, will be published in 2023. When Nancy isn’t creating, she loves taking bike rides (and balancing too many groceries on the handlebars).

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