Every now and then, a book comes along with what I like to call the "Hush Factor," a story so compelling and beautifully written that, when read aloud, no one dares to make a sound for fear of breaking its spell. Small Things Mended by Casey W. Robinson is one of those rare books. Not only does it create that powerful hush, but through its sweet and heartfelt message, it has the ability to mend hearts.
I recently sat down with Casey to discuss Small Things Mended, her experiences literally mending hearts, and how caring for the things we love fosters lasting connections. We also explored how valuable stories are for teaching us all what matters most.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about the central theme, or what is at the heart of Small Things Mended?
A: In a nutshell, this is a book about the power of connection—human to human connection, human connection to the things we care about, and the ways in which we honor what we love and cherish.
Q: Since we are a toy company we couldn't help noticing that you feature a lot of wonderful and special toys in this picture book. How did you choose the toys that Cecil mended in this story, and what are some of your thoughts about the importance of old-fashioned toys in childhood?
A: I am a firm believer that toys that anticipate and leave room for childhood imagination are the toys that stay. When physical items of value become imprinted by and with the child, they become bigger than just their parts. There is so much messaging in our culture that “new is better” but young kids don’t think like that. When you give them an open-ended opportunity to use imaginary play, they come up with something better than you could've ever imagined. And if they’re playing with their beloved toys, they get to explore and learn how to navigate their emotional attachment to the things they treasure.
By the way, Nancy Whitesides did a ton of research on old-fashioned handmade toys to create all the original toys featured in the illustrations of Cecil’s workshop. My favorite is the dog playing the fiddle!
Q: You've had some amazing book events with Small Things Mended. One of my favorites is the mending storytime events that you've hosted at local libraries. Can you tell us about how these work and the effect they have on everyone who attends?
The most powerful book-related events I've done have involved an intergenerational community gathering. At our 'mending clinic' book events, we've had volunteers who are retired skilled seamstresses. They bring their tools and children bring their loveys that need repair. Just like Cecil, they take this very seriously. They tell the children what they will be doing, place a little arm band around their lovey, just like at the hospital, and then while we read and do the story time, these menders get to work. After the story is finished and the children pick up their stuffed animals, the gasps and the squeals of delight are overpowering and it feels just like Christmas morning. It was so amazing to watch these toys come back to life and to see the joy on the children's faces as they greeted their repaired friends, and on the faces of the community members who did the mending. Everyone wins!
Q: Do you have any parting words about some of the other important themes or messages in your lovely book?
The wonderful thing about picture books is that they often contain layers, which means there are new meanings to discover as you read and re-read.
I think the theme of treasuring what we already have is a model for the importance of keeping our ecological footprint small. But this theme can also be extended – Small Things Mended is very much a story about the importance of valuing the worthiness of our older generations.
If you look closely at the illustrations, noticing details of Cecil’s life as well as how the expression on his face changes over time, you’ll discover this is also a story about healing his broken heart—how connecting with other people and doing things you love helps in grief recovery and to combat loneliness.
Thank you so much for sharing your heart and your story of connection and love with us, Casey!
More about Casey W. Robinson:
Casey W. Robinson grew up in Maine and used to keep a shoebox of favorite words and phrases under her bed. She now lives with her family just west of Boston, in a yellow house overflowing with books. When she’s not writing, Casey manages book events for her local indie bookseller. Her debut picture book, Iver and Ellsworth, was a finalist for the Crystal Kite Award and Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award. Her latest picture book, Small Things Mended, is a New England Book Award winner, a Golden Poppy Award finalist, a Golden Kite Award finalist, a Kids’ Indie Next Pick, and was chosen for SLJ’s Best Picture Books 2024 list.
Leave a comment