Common Sense Media Review
By Susan Faust
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Truth sets a guilt-ridden girl free in reassuring tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In BROKEN, a bespeckled little girl tells "the story of the day I broke Ama's cup." At Ama's house, a bored Mei Mei decides to scare the cat. By accident, she bumps a side-table, and Ama's tea cup falls to the ground. Broken! Mei Mei runs outside, wondering "what if Ama gets mad at me?" But Ama just invites her granddaughter inside for tea. The broken cup is gone. Ama thinks that Mimi the cat is to blame. Mei Mei feels so guilty she cannot even take a bite of the cake that Ama serves with the tea. Meanwhile, the cat stares at Mei Mei until she can't take it anymore. She hides in the coat closet, but Ama comes and asks, "What's the matter?" Mei bursts into tears and confesses, "I broke it! I'm so sorry." Ama just hugs her and shows her how the cup can be put back together "until it has a story to tell."
Is It Any Good?
The truth sets a bespeckled little girl free in an exceptionally artful and reassuring picture book about responsibility, guilt, honesty, and forgiveness. In an authentic child voice, Mei Mei narrates her tale of woe to a warm conclusion in Broken. Fearing that Ama will be mad at her for accidentally breaking a tea cup, Mei Mei lets the cat take the blame until she cannot stand it anymore and fesses up. Varied in page design, pacing, and perspectives, the chunky illustrations add detail and depth in the real-life action and emotional spaces. The art will even make readers giggle (Mimi the cat's accusatory stare is the stuff of legends). Preschoolers will recognize a familiar dilemma: to confess or not to confess? Slightly older kids will connect with more subtle aspects of the story, for example, mustering the courage to tell the truth. Broken exudes warmth as it models how honesty can relieve guilt and lead to forgiveness. It's really the best policy!
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how fear can make it hard to tell the truth, like in Broken. When have you had to tell the truth when it was hard to do so? What had happened? How did you find the courage to tell the truth?
Ama and Mei Mei worked together to repair the broken tea cup. Have you ever helped repair something that is broken, maybe even something you broke? How did teamwork help?
Talk about the pictures in this book. How does the art show Mei Mei's feelings of guilt and sadness? What were some of your favorite pictures? Why?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : X. Fang
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Animals ( Cats ) , Family Stories ( Grandparents )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Tundra Books
- Publication date : October 14, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 3 - 7
- Number of pages : 48
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Awards : ALA Best and Notable Books , Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : March 19, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate