Synopses & Reviews
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.
Review
"A glorious piece of bookmaking whose subject and execution will reach a wide age range." Booklist (Starred Review)
Review
"Reibstein's plain yet poetic text...works harmoniously with Young's deceptively simple, vertically oriented collages of natural and manmade materials to create their own wabi sabi. Simply beautiful." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Wabi Sabi's quest and the splendid pictures will please younger children....The rest of us will be better prepared to appreciate the subtle interconnections among dialogue, poetry and collages fashioned from 'time-worn human-made as well as natural materials.'" Joanna Rudge Long, The New York Times Book Review
Review
"Young's beautiful collages have an almost 3-D effect and perfectly complement the spiritual, lyrical text. While the story of Wabi Sabi's journey will hold some appeal for younger children, this is a book to be savored and contemplated..." School Library Journal
Synopsis
The award-winning and New York Times bestselling book about a cat named Wabi Sabi who searches for the meaning of her name 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 the imperfect.
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.
A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book for 2008
Synopsis
Written in lyrical, spare text and haiku, and accompanied by breathtaking collage art by Caldecott Medalist Ed Young, this book follows a little cat in Japan as she searches for the meaning of her name — but finds much more.
Synopsis
Bear is a rambling musician. An entertainer. A legend. One Bear Extraordinaire. Bear wakes up one morning with a song in his head, but something is missing. Whatandrsquo;s a one-bear band to do? He travels the forest in search of his song and meets a few other musicians along the way, but even with their help, his song still feels incomplete. Will Bear find the perfect accompaniment and learn that every song sounds sweeter with friends by his side?
Jayme McGowan brings Bear and his merry band to life with intricate and innovative threedimensional cut-paper art that is nothing short of extraordinary.
Video
About the Author
Mark Reibstein is an English teacher and writer who has lived in New York, California, Hawaii, Japan, and Thailand. Now Mark and his daughter live near San Francisco with their good friend Arlo, who is also a cat. This is his first picture book.
Ed Young has illustrated for over 70 books and has been awarded the Caldecott Medal for Lon Po Po and the Caldecott Honors for Seven Blind Mice and The Emperor and the Kite. He lives in upstate New York with his daughters.
Kids Q&A
Read the Kids' Q&A with Mark Reibstein