Mark Reibstein

Wabi Sabi, a little cat living just outside Kyoto, sets out to discover the meaning of her name - something that everyone seems to find "hard to explain" - in this gorgeous picture-book. When Snowball the cat and Rascal the dog have no answers for her, our feline heroine sets off for Mt. Hiei, to see the wise old monkey Kosho. It is here, holding Kosho's simple tea-cup, gazing at the woods around, and coming upon Ginkakuji - the "Silver Temple" - that she finally understands: Wabi Sabi is show more the feeling that beauty is to be found in the simple, the small, and the imperfect...

A thoughtful, contemplative narrative, incorporating haiku poetry with prose, Wabi Sabi is also a visually arresting book, with stunning collage-art by Ed Young, who won a Caldecott Medal for his work on Lon Po Po. I know very little of the art form of haiku, and had never before encountered the term Wabi Sabi, but this idea of the beauty to be found in imperfection is one I have often pondered, and I was reminded of the poetry of William Carlos Williams while reading this. It somehow seems appropriate that my introduction to Wabi Sabi came in a book meant for children - those "small" people amongst us. Thank you, Chandra, for recommending this one! show less

Thanks to cat-sitting this weekend I am enjoying an absolute orgy of reading - cats bring out all my natural inclinations towards curling up with a book (preferably with a cat as a hot water bottle!). And this was the perfect book to read on such an occasion.

Barbara very, very kindly bought Mum and I each a copy of this spectacular book which has only just made it onto the bookshop shelves. I would be extremely surprised if it isn't a huge success. The only thing that's strange about it is show more that it's shelved with the children's picture books. It may be a picture book but I think it takes an adult to truly appreciate it. The artwork is breathtakingly astonishing - I spend much of my time simply wanting to touch it - it has such a look of beautiful texture about it. It is truly like entering a new universe.

The text is conceptually complex, mysterious and satisfying, combining "spare text" with haiku. Neither author nor illustrator is Japanese, but the setting and concept are Japanese, and Japanese haiku form part of the artwork. The whole work is a feast of beauty that can be read again and again and again, simply to appreciate the beauty of the poetry, the glory of the astonishing artwork and the satisfaction of the concept.

What a gift. show less

The act of juxtaposition is a common literary motif, but Reibstein and Young go outside of simple in-text contrast to empahsize the diffrnces and similarities between the textual and artistic themes of their story. Wabi wabi, a Japanese artistic style meaning beauty in simplicity, is sharply contrasted at first glance by the craft-like style of Young's collages. Yet, as the story progresses alongside its feline protagonist's journey to self-discovery we come to realize that the seeming rough show more edges and haphazard arrangement of materials is actually quite simplistic. The medium and lines are quite rudimentary, so the eye naturally picks up the more complex textures and patterns within shapes to perfectly exemplify the meaning of wabi sabi. show less

This is a different kind of book. It focuses mostly on a cat, Wabi Sabi, who goes out to learn the significance of her name. The Japanese identify Wabi Sabi as accepting yourself based on three concepts: imperfections, incompleteness, and impermanence. These three concepts create the theme or main point of the book.

I like the book. It is mixed media in two different methods: writing style and illustrations. For example the author switched from prose to haikus. I find this an interesting way show more to introduce poetry. Traditional books are usually either prose or poetry not both. I also like how the cat is unsure about what wabi sabi means, and searches until she grasps the concept.

I really enjoyed the illustrations. The collage method really added to the story. For example, each image of the cat had texture that made it almost like you could feel the cat. The other cat and the dog Wabi Sabi comes across have similar details. The colors were mostly earth tones, which I felt were good additions to the mood of the story. show less