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This story is about a girl who encounters an earthquake in Kobe, Japan and attempts to rescue her mother's cherished possession - a Japanese lacquer box. From devastation to inspiration, her life unfolds by holding on to the salvaged healing box. The trials and tribulations of Mayuri connect to the process of making the lacquer box. Metaphorically speaking, it is the layer upon layer of applying the lacquer polish to reach its final glossy and refined state which parallels Mayuri's process of becoming a polished and refined professional violinist. Feelings of loss and despair can change to hope and aspiration. This underlying message comes through the symbolism of traditional art products from different cultures and how they help in leading one to a path where great things in life can be achieved.
ISBN : 978-1-83934-641-5
Published: 27/10/2022
Pages : 40
Size : 234x156
Imprint : Bumblebee Books
Parul was born in India, grew up in Japan, studied in the US and is now living in Singapore. Her cross-cultural upbringing ignited her interest in appreciating and collecting different cultural artifacts. She often travelled to Afghanistan with her family while being raised in Japan and then to Russia after marriage. She wanted to write a children's story while raising her three children. This dream was further stirred after her hometown Kobe encountered the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995. This environmental disaster led Parul to think about writing a healing story which combined her passion for the boxes she had collected over the years along with the meaning of life.