Book Summary and Reviews of Broken by X. Fang

Broken by X. Fang

Broken

by X. Fang

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  • Published:
  • Oct 2025, 48 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

A New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book! • Join Mei Mei on her hilarious and emotional journey in this dramatic and tenderhearted picture book about guilt and forgiveness, from the acclaimed creator of We Are Definitely Human.

When Mei Mei accidentally breaks her ama's favorite cup, she's convinced it's the end of the world. What if Ama is angry? What if she yells? What if she kicks Mei Mei out of her house? Mei Mei can't face it. But when Mimi, the innocent cat who witnesses her crime, ends up being blamed, the guilt is too much! Mimi's accusing eyes follow Mei Mei until she just can't take it anymore, and the truth comes spilling out.

With vibrant and moody cinematic illustrations and pitch-perfect pacing, X. Fang's newest picture book is filled to the brim with comedic drama and the comforting sweetness of a grandparent's forgiving hug.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Fang makes room for both laugh-out-loud humor and moments of genuine empathy; rife with homey details, her softly rounded illustrations exude warmth... . A common childhood experience, conveyed with an uncommon mix of sensitivity, mirth, and heart." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"This flawless picture book teaches young readers that with honesty, love, and a little glue, there is no mistake too big to fix. Fang is back with a heartwarming tale of a universal childhood (and adulthood) experience: breaking something important... . This is a perfect fit for SEL ­lessons about owning up to one's mistakes and ­asking for forgiveness. A must-buy and ideal read-aloud for all libraries." —School Library Journal (starred review)

"Broken, yet another winning picture book by author/illustrator X. Fang, describes a passionate, child-centered experience that includes boredom, crisis, redemption, and ... cake!" —Shelf Awareness (starred review)

This information about Broken was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

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Author Information

X. Fang

X. Fangis a visual artist and maker of books for young readers, including Dim Sum Palace, winner of the 2023 Society of Illustrators' Dilys Evans Founder's Award among other honors, and We Are Definitely Human, an Ezra Jack Keats Illustration Award winner, an American Library Association Notable Children's Book, an Indie Next Pick and the recipient of five starred reviews. She exhibits her art throughout the U.S. and internationally and has worked professionally as a graphic designer and art director for film and television studios. Born in Taichung, Taiwan, raised in Atlanta, Georgia, she now lives in rural Maine with her husband, son and their dog, Pamela.

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