The Kingdom of Broken Things

The Kingdom of Broken Things

Every broken thing has a story. Some just need to be remembered.

When twelve-year-old Talia Wright discovers an old music box in the attic three months after her younger brother Max’s death, she has no idea that fixing it will open a doorway to an extraordinary realm—a place where broken objects come to life and find new purpose.

In the Kingdom of Broken Things, Talia meets Bram, her brother’s beloved plush knight, now a living guardian with one missing button eye and a tiny wooden sword. She learns that Max had a secret connection to this world, visiting in his dreams during his illness and leaving behind his final wishes hidden within its magical landscapes.

But the Kingdom faces an existential threat. The Rust—once a natural part of the Kingdom’s cycle of forgetting—has become corrupted, devouring memories and threatening to consume everything in its path. As the only human with the gift of Mending, Talia must journey through this whimsical yet fragile land to strengthen four memory anchors that maintain the Kingdom’s existence.

Guided by Bram and a cast of unforgettable broken objects—a philosophical porcelain doll, an anxious pocket watch, a gruff teddy bear, and a mysterious weathervane—Talia discovers that true mending isn’t about erasing damages but highlighting them, finding beauty in imperfection. As she strengthens each anchor, she also begins to repair her shattered relationship with her grief-stricken parents and her own wounded heart.

But the Kingdom holds one final, devastating secret. The Collector, a cracked camera with ulterior motives, believes only a human essence transformed into a fifth anchor can save the Kingdom permanently—and he’s set his lens on Talia.

A heartfelt middle-grade fantasy about grief, healing, and finding meaning in life’s broken pieces, The Kingdom of Broken Things weaves an unforgettable tale of two worlds mended through the power of story and the courage to remember differently.