Sashiko’s Stitches

Feelings can be heavy, prickly, and knotty. Sashiko knows how feelings show up in her body. These emotions can make her fearful and sad when they get too big. Her Mama told her the story behind her name, a Japanese art form that started from mending fisherfolk’s garments. Sashiko, meaning “little stabs,” reflects the tiny stitches in the fabric that repair the tears, a metaphor for her journey of emotional healing. As Sashiko learns how to make sashiko stitches with a needle and thread, she finds a way to make the patterns represent her feelings. Seeing her feelings on the fabric makes her feel stronger and braver.

Sanae Ishida’s Sashiko’s Stitches is a touching story about a girl who creates beauty from heavy and unpleasant feelings. It is an excellent book for beginning readers and their parents, teachers, and caregivers, as it emphasizes the importance of identifying and expressing one’s feelings. Young readers will appreciate the cultural lesson and feel enlightened about traditional needlework that originated in Japan. The book shares lessons for grownups about paying attention and using one’s creative energies to process and embody difficult emotions.