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Binding: Hardcover
EAN: 9780316118255
Edition: Library Binding
ISBN: 0316118257
Label: Little, Brown Young Readers
Manufacturer: Little, Brown Young Readers
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 40
Publication Date: October 01, 2008
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Studio: Little, Brown Young Readers

Editorial Review

Product Description:

Wabi Sabi, a little cat in Kyoto, Japan, had never thought much about her name until friends visiting from another land asked her owner what it meant. At last, the master says, "That's hard to explain." And that is all she says. This unsatisfying answer sets Wabi Sabi on a journey to uncover the meaning of her name, and on the way discovers what wabi sabi is: a Japanese philosophy of seeing beauty in simplicity, the ordinary, and imperfection. Using spare text and haiku, Mark Reibstein weaves an extraordinary story about finding real beauty in unexpected places. Caldecott Medal-winning artist Ed Young complements the lyrical text with breathtaking collages. Together, they illustrate the unique world view that is wabi sabi. Wabi Sabi is a unique picture book that clearly explains a new way of seeing the world to readers.

Rating: - A subtle book that this parent reads most nights to his 3 year old
What a wonderful way to expose a young audience to meaningful simplicity. One reviewer said this wasn't a children's book but I guess it depends on the child. Curled up in bed with his dog and his cat my son pays rapt attention to this story. As the reader I was struck by the fact that even the physical pages of the book are thick, I kept thinking I was turning two pages (parents know about one-handed-book-reading), until I realized they had used very thick paper. A nice touch.

If we want our children to see beyond the flashy sound-bite world of TV then we have to give them compelling alternatives. Its never too early to start and this "children's" book is a fine beginning.

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Rating: - Wabi Sabi
Beautiful illustrations and thoughtful message. My four-year old grandson enjoyed the story as did his nine-year old sister.

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Rating: - Zen-themed haiku and accompanying art - marvelous, but misses by a mile its target audience
As an adult, former resident of Japan (for 3.5 years), visitor of Ginkakuji, and cat lover, I enjoyed this book with its wonderfully done collages, calming story and accompanying haiku about a cat named Wabi Sabi. But it is more appropriate for a homeschooling parent, poetry teacher, or Japanese culture fan than any elementary-school-aged child I know. My favorite seven-year-old girl bookworm (and cat lover) begged me to stop reading it at about page three. And my favorite nine-year-old boy bookworm and ravenous reader wanted nothing to do with it. Pick it up for your parental reading pleasure at your local library to find out what all the fuss is about. But if you are looking for a kid-friendly picture book about things foreign, you'd do better with: Three Samurai Cats: A Story From Japan by Eric A. Kimmel and Mordicai Gerstein; Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park and Ho Baek Lee; or Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat by Amy Tan and Gretchen Schields.

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Rating: - Wabi Sabi
This is a beautifully written AND illustrated book, for adults as well as children. Meaningful, a lovely lesson in our troubled world...A joy ! Marta Blades

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Rating: - Wabi Sabi discovers what wabi sabi means
On the surface, Wabi Sabi is the story of a cat trying to find the meaning of her name. That story, along with art from the award-winning Young, make this a fine children's book, especially from a first time author. On a deeper level, it introduces the concept of self-identity, wabi sabi (the Chinese and Japanese concept of seeing beauty in simplicity and the ordinary) and haiku. As Wabi Sabi goes looking for the meaning of her name, the various animals and guides along the way explain how they view the concept of wabi sabi through the use of haiku.

The illustrations are multi-media, collage style, and themselves bring the reader to see how ordinary materials can be gathered into a greater-than-its-parts final product. There are also a number of Japanese haiku throughout the book, with translations provided in the back. The only downside that some people may have with the book is that it is read vertically, you lift the pages up, not turn them. In some ways it adds to the book, making it feel like you are reading from a scroll. Either way, Wabi Sabi is a beautiful book, teaching an important concept often overlooked in Western culture.