Welcome to another Nonna’s Corner. Today I am sharing How to Mend a Heart by Sara Gillingham. This hardcover novel with it’s colorful illustrations uses sewing as a metaphor for mending a broken heart. Cute and simplistic it offers the adult reader a chance to discuss with young readers “broken hearts and feelings.”
by Sara Gillingham
Pages: 40
Purchase*: Amazon *affiliate
A charming arts-and-crafts approach to dealing with first moments of heartbreak. Be it caused by a lost pet, a friend’s moving away, or even simple childhood injustice, Sara Gillingham (How to Grow a Friend) understands the gentle touch needed to soothe a sore heart. Her fresh and whimsical design makes an enticing vehicle for her advice.
How to Mend a Heart by Sara Gillingham is a hardcover novel containing forty colorful pages featuring children of diversity. A young child and a stuffed elephant are sad because a patch quilt heart is broken. It’s threads have come undone. The author takes the young child and reader through the process of stitching it back together. The words are simplistic making this a wonderful reader book, and while feelings are never mentioned it does open the door for discussions. Those who love crafting will enjoy both the illustrations and metaphors used. It emphasises that the more patches a heart has the stronger it is. Ages 3 to 8 and groups for discussion would enjoy this.
Images from How to Mend A Heart
Quotes from How to Mend A Heart
“To mend a heart, you need gentle hands”
“Some hearts need a little bit of thread, and others need the whole spool.”
About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
La La in the Library
I love this. 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
It is an adorable book 🙂
Jess
This looks like a sweet book. I love the illustrations. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
Thanks Jess, I love sharing them with you
Lorna
This looks like a really sweet story for children with broken hearts. I sure don’t remember anything like this when I was little and my puppy died; it might have been really helpful. I love how you review for so many age groups!
kimbacaffeinate
Thanks Lorna, this monthly post is for my granddaughter Sophia. As she grows so will the post.
Paij Slater
How cute…I am having lots of great nieces and nephews being born now, and I am always on the look out for cute kids books 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
Awe you are sucha good Auntie! Get them addicted to reading early!
Kristin
You get the best kids books!! This is so adorable for a little girl. Is it really 40 pages, though? That sounds like a lot of pages for a kidlet but if it works, it works!! Great pics!
kimbacaffeinate
I would need to count them, and its at Sophia’s house. Amazon says that it is.
Kristin
OMG – don’t you dare go counting pages!! My attention span doesn’t last 40 pages 😉 Tee, hee!!
The Bibliophile Babe
What a great kids’ book!
kimbacaffeinate
It really is adorable. 🙂
Mckenzie
This is so precious; Mom and I just sat here and cried. Lol. I think we need to add this to the children’s section of our library. Thank you for sharing!
kimbacaffeinate
Awe, the book is cute Mckenzie and yes I hope you add it!
Lekeisha
Such a cute book! I love that second quote, because it is so so true.
kimbacaffeinate
Agreed. This was adorable 🙂
Candace
This sounds cute. And I like that it has diversity in it.
kimbacaffeinate
I did too Candace 🙂
Braine
This book is more for me than my “kids”
kimbacaffeinate
Awe, do you need a hug? Some thread?
Angela Adams
I always look forward to what Nonna has to say. Thanks for the post.
kimbacaffeinate
I am glad you enjoy it. I try to do at least one a month 🙂
Melissa (Books and Things)
This sounds so sweet and what a great book to read to the littles.
kimbacaffeinate
Yes it is quite cute, and I think Mommy crafters will love it 🙂
Heidi
The illustrations are so colorful and cute. I can’t believe that my two are slowly outgrowing picture books.
kimbacaffeinate
It happens so fast…soon they will be discovering Harry Potter!!
Katherine
This looks so sweet and like such a wonderful way to tackle a really heartbreaking issue with a young child.
kimbacaffeinate
It is nice that it lets the reader (adult) decide how to take the conversation. So a teacher could talk about things we say or do to break a heart.
Christine
This sounds great — I’ll be looking for it at my library 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
Happy reading with your little ones 🙂
kindlemom1
I absolutely love that you do this Kim!
I’m finally feeling better so I’m trying to play a bit of catch up! 😉
kimbacaffeinate
So glad to hear you are feeling well. I love sharing books and building Sophia’s bookshelf 🙂
Jenny
Oooo so cute! Definitely going on my niece-list Kim, thank you!
kimbacaffeinate
You are welcome, hope your niece loves it.
Nick
Those illustrations are adorable!
kimbacaffeinate
They really are Nick, and kind of remind me of books from childhood.
Tyler H. Jolley
While it might be a bit too old for Sophia, the title is perfect. It must’ve been a little heartbreaking when they moved out 🙁 But I’m happy you’ll still have her during the day 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
She loves the colorful illustrations, especially those of the elephant.
Mary Kirkland
That’s a great idea for a book that can be shared with kids.
kimbacaffeinate
It’s a cute concept and I loved all the references to sewing.
blodeuedd
Cute 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
Yes, it is truly cute 🙂