her suitcase. Inside were
perfect rows of shiny tools:
hammers, pliers, screwdrivers of all shapes and sizes.
On sunny days, Miss Matilda
repaired toys, and sunglasses, parasols and sun hats. On cloudy days, she fixed toys ... "
Miss Matilda loves her park bench. She spends her days there waiting for children who live in her community to come to her with their broken things. She is a fixer of toys, and a fixer of hearts.
While some children bring their toys to be mended. Miss Matilda is a listener, and a very good one. Her large suitcase is with her every time she says goodbye to her canary and its early morning music. Inside there are those things she needs to help the children who make their way to her bench.
Hearing Jeremy cry with 'unseen hurt' leads her down a new path ... to a pain that none of her shiny tools can fix. Perhaps a song will help, and a hug.
"They stayed that way for a long time.
Whenever a child came to her with a broken
toy, she whispered, "Come back later, dear.
Right now, I'm mending a broken heart."
Miss Matilda has found another way to help children with what is broken. And, when her heart is broken, she gets a lovely surprise from those beloved children.
The artwork for this book was rendered in acrylics, graphite, charcoal and found papers and assembled digitally. If you have seen other books by Irene Luxbacher, you will not be surprised by her beautiful spreads filled with warmth, love and detail. I have pored over them again and again. So very special!
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