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A community comes together to craft a quilt in this joyful story of intergenerational friendship, creativity, and hope. On Fridays, a diverse group of children and adults gathers at the community center. "Together in pairs," each child and their older and experienced quilter friend work side-by-side through the quilt-making process. They trace, cut, arrange, and stitch their individual patchwork squares, while "Nakia works on one blue square," a peace sign that becomes the quilt's centerpiece. A handprint border is designed, and then for "many, many Fridays" (because "it takes a long time to quilt the quilt") they sit together sharing stories as they stitch everything together. Scans of fabric are interwoven into Rockwell's warm watercolor and ink illustrations, adding texture and veracity. Basic quilting tools and steps are seamlessly interspersed throughout the narrative, contributing information without overshadowing or disrupting the story’s natural rhythm. Readers will be delighted to see the illustrations come to life in the appended author's note with photographs of the real-life club and quilt that inspired the book. Like pieces of a patchwork quilt, story and fact come together, reflecting the joy of a journey and the beauty of community friendship.
Reviewer: Emmie Stuart
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2020