CCBC Booklists

CCBC booklist are compiled from books we have recommended in various editions of CCBC Choices. Most of these booklists are updated annually. You can also select books from one or more booklists to create a custom list, which can also include additional books from the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.

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Perfect

by Waka T. Brown

CCBC Review:

Mika, who likes things to be perfect, loves the pottery teacup from Japan her Obaachan gave her. The white and blue colors remind her of the clouds and the sea, and it feels cool and heavy in in her hands. When Mika accidentally breaks the cup, she’s devastated. Obaachan assures her it can be fixed, but after it’s repaired, “Golden lines zigged across the blue. Golden lines zagged across the white.” Obaachan explains that this kind of repair is called kintsugi—“to join together with gold.” Mika isn’t sure about it—the cup is no longer perfect after all—but she realizes it still reminds her of the beauty of the sea, this time during a lightning storm she once saw. More importantly, with Obaachan’s help, she realizes accidents happen, and that imperfect doesn’t mean useless or unworthy of love. Sophisticated ideas explored through a child-centered, accessible story in this picture book about a Japanese American child and her grandmother. Warm, colorful mixed-media illustrations accompany the story. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center

Illustrated by Yuko Jones

CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 4-8
Age Range: PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7) Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format: Picture book
Subjects: Asian Americans Grandmothers Japanese and Japanese Americans Self-Esteem and Self-Worth
Diversity subject: Asian
On CCBC Booklist: Asian in America: Selected Books for PreK-Grade 12 to Support Hmong and Asian American Studies in Wisconsin

Publishers: HarperCollins, Quill Tree
Publish Year: 2024
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9780063280229
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Brown

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our Recommended Book Search includes access to CCBC-recommended titles based on subject headings created by our staff.

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