Author: Valerie Flournoy
Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney
Genre: Realistic Fiction (Multicultural Book)
Awards: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, Ezra Jack Keats Book Award
Grades: K-3
Tanya watched her grandmother as she looked at her quilt. Tanya did not understand why she had a dirty quilt when she could easily get her grandmother a new one. Even though she did not understand she offered to help her grandma anyway. As days went on, grandma causally would cut out cloth from different things and patch it on her quilt. Things such as a part of pant jeans and Tanya's robe. One afternoon, Tanya's family was outside playing in the snow while her grandmother stayed inside. Tanya's mother felt bad that grandma was left, but Tanya reassured her that she was not alone since she had the quilt to tell her stories. Grandma, unfortunately, got really sick and did not have the energy to finish the quilt. Tanya decided to help her grandmother out as she recovered. A year later, they all helped finish the quilt which turned into something big and meaningful. Her grandmother dedicated it to Tanya at the end.
I would use this book in my class room to teach students about different traditions or cultures a group of family may have. In this book, they made quilting a tradition by constantly helping their grandmother patch throughout the years. This book is appropriate for students in kindergarten up to third grade because they will be able to understand and enjoy the book. I would use this in my class for a social studies unit on culture and traditions or have in my classroom library for students to read.
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