The Quilt Story
I love almost anything illustrated by Tomie dePaola and so was surprised when I opened a box of books I'd tucked away for some years, only to find I owned one I'd never even read before. It was rather like Christmas. After reading this, I'm even more shocked I never did before because this would have been right up my alley as a kid. I loved anything to do with history and a book about a quilt as it moves through its 'life' would have been perfect. This is literally The Quilt Story, the story of the making, using, setting aside, and rediscovery of a family quilt. You watch two girls and a few animals gain much from having this quilt in their lives; it really shows how something made can endure through time and beyond people. My particular favorite parts were the two pictures, one that began the story and the other that ended the story. The first showed a newly made quilt, beautiful in its elegant work and vibrant colors. The second showed the quilt at the book's end. Pieces had been replaced, many of the colors were faded, and there were stains dotting the fabric; it was beautiful, perhaps more beautiful as its being well used and well loved is clearly written upon it.
The illustrations were amazing, as they always are with dePaola. They are elegant in their simplicity and work well to tell the story beyond the text.
A lovely book for a mother and daughter to share together, this is also a wonderful story about how much a quilt or other item made for a family member can pass down and touch multiple generations.
