The Quiltmaker's Gift

Written by Jeff Brumbeau and Gail de Marcken, The Quiltmaker’s Giftt is a fable of generosity and kindness, even in the face of adversity. The story tells of an old woman who lives on the top of a mountain who sews quilts by day and delivers them to the poor and needy by night. The king in the land is a very greedy man and demands presents from all his people, even insisting on having two birthdays. The quiltmaker, however, will not give him a present, so he threatens her life twice. Her only response to him is that he must give away all that he owns, and for every gift he gives, she will add more to his quilt.

A Book of the Year Winner, this story is endearing because of its message of community. As in every society, this kingdom has poor and hungry citizens as well as the rich and well off. The story does have some fantastical elements such as the royal island makers, but this is truly the tale of a real and strong woman who does what she believes to be right: to give. The old woman has no fear and always has a smile on her face. She is genuinely joyful in her heart and never stops giving, even when it seems she has nothing left! Though while the text is heart-warming, the illustrations are quite appealing and match perfectly with the text. These watercolor paintings are carefully detailed and refined. The characters are bright and colorful with vibrant colors to showcase the beauty of not only the quilts, but the kingdom and community that has been created. There is so much to see and imagine that some of the pages are separated into many smaller illustrations. These pages are divided to show different scenes and movement, some are almost like borders but they are interconnected and weaved just like a quilt.

After reading this book, I immediately want to give it to my mother, quilter that she is. This is a story that can be enjoyed by everyone, not just children. It is also quite interactive, in that there are hidden quilt patterns in each illustration! Readers are encouraged to look for all of them, and at the end of the book even more follow-up activities are offered at www.QuiltmakersGift.com . I’ve already added this book to my Amazon wish list!