Oma's Quilt (Hardcover)

by Paulette Bourgeois (Author), Stephane Jorisch (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The difficult transition from family home to retirement community is poignantly rendered in this cross-generational tale told from a child's viewpoint. Emily tours her grandmother's empty house one last time before taking the reluctant Oma to her new residence. Bourgeois (author of the Franklin series) creates an immediate nostalgic feeling with Emily's observations. (Oma's house "still smells like cabbage soup, warm yeasty dough, lemon polish and vinegar.") Though the subject is bittersweet, the author keeps the story moving in lighthearted fashion, as optimistic Emily offers her impression of Oma's new home: "There are flowers everywhere.... There is a library... and even bowling on Wednesdays!" A displaced Oma is full of complaints ("The bowling alley lanes are crooked and the rental shoes smell funny" and she takes to calling her fellow residents "Nincompoops!"). Jorisch's (As for the Princess: A Folktale from Quebec) sun-drenched watercolors showing plump chairs and sofas in warm colors maintain a cheery mood. As Emily and her mother sort through Oma's now-boxed-up belongings, the girl suggests that they sew a quilt from them; it provides the cure for Oma's sourpuss facade. As Oma fondly looks over the quilt, pictures of events from the woman's past cascade in a joyous full-bleed spread. Author and artist stitch together a heartfelt reminder of the comfort that only the familiar can bring. Ages 4-8.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
K-Gr 4-A young girl describes her grandmother's move to a retirement home. The story begins with the two of them sharing one last moment at Oma's house. On a tour of her new residence, the woman expresses her longing for her old house and neighborhood. When Emily and her mom sort through Oma's possessions to decide what to keep or give away, everything evokes a special memory and they are left with only one pile-things to keep. The last box contains a quilt Oma made from grandpa's old shirts, and Emily suggests to her mother that they make one for grandma from her belongings. The quilt becomes Oma's treasure and helps her to adjust to the change. By the end of the story, she is content with her new home. The illustrations are done in soft pastel colors and enhance the peaceful mood of the text. This reassuring story illustrates that people can cope with major changes in their life.

Sheilah Kosco, Rapides Parish Library, Alexandria, LA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Kids Can Press; 1 edition (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550747770
• ISBN-13: 978-1550747775
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #799,701 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The colors of her life, July 27, 2004

By	E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Picture books that examine the relationships between children and elderly adults are nothing new. They can range from the insipid "Baby Duck" books to the eloquent and insightful "Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge". "Oma's Quilt" is a little different than other kid + senior citizen stories partly because its focus rests squarely on the adult and not on the child. Tackling a subject that more and more adults must face every year, "Oma's Quilt" shows what it takes to make a new home a familiar one.

Emily's grandmother (or "Oma") is moving from her house into a retirement community. The reader gets the distinct impression that this was not Oma's idea and she's not especially keen to leave. After all, she's lived in her house for most of her lifetime. When Emily and her mother go to the Forest View Retirement Home, Oma is not very receptive. She thinks the food is odd, the bed uncomfortable, and the other people in the home "nincompoops". Sensing that the transition is probably going to need a little work, Emily and her mother try to figure out a way to help Oma. Yet it isn't until they sort through the woman's old clothes that Emily comes up with a brilliant solution. Why not make a quilt out of all the old fabrics for Oma to use and remember with? Together, they make one and Oma is delighted. On it she's able to point out the moments of her life that meant the most to her and to pass them on to her kin. By the end, Oma still thinks the other residents are nincompoops, but she's started helping in the kitchen and her old friend Mrs. Mostowyk may be moving in soon. Things are looking up.

I found it odd that the story gave so little attention to Emily's thoughts and feelings. Heck, we hear more about how her mom feels about Oma's bad mood (at one point she's on the brink of tears) than we do about Emily. For those kids that are close to their grandparents, however, this book may be much loved. Personally, I was a little put off by Oma's overwhelmingly bad mood, but it only lasts (at its worst) for a couple pages and she's cheery enough by the end. I certainly did appreciate that by the tale's finish, Oma hadn't suddenly undergone some kind of a spellbinding conversion to retirement home wonders. Instead, she still dislikes her neighbors but is beginning to become comfortable with other aspects of her new life. The story is a focused patient exploration of what it takes to make another person happy. In this case, it takes a wealth of memories.

The illustrations in this story work beautifully. Oma's a shrewd woman with a penchant for bright colorful prints, extravagant hats, and saddleshoes. Using pen and watercolors, illustrator Stephane Jorisch brings a great deal of life and verve to the tale. Emotions are well displayed here. When Oma sits hunched in her armchair complaining about the flowers in the hallway and the home's funky smelling bowling shoes she's every bit the cantankerous grandmother. But I think my favorite spread shows Oma, her daughter, and her granddaughter leaning on the new glorious quilt. As we watch, the quilt is filled with an array of colorful, shifting, melding memories. A married couple walks towards a large city while opposite them a man pushes a baby carriage. It's an impressive array and it sums up the state of Oma's mind perfectly.

If you've a kid that will enjoy a story about a grandmother and not, in fact, that woman's grandchild then this story is for you. It's definitely worth a look see. I advise you to examine it thoroughly and figure out if it's worth your time. Personally, I thought it was nice without being particularly universal. Those children that don't have grandparents may not identify with the tale intrinsically. Otherwise, it rivals the aforementioned "Wilfrid Gorden McDonald Partridge"'s attention to the importance of memory (though of the two I cast my lot with "Wilfrid"). Enjoy.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Story about Loving Your Grandmother, November 20, 2002

By	Dawn Woolcott (Vancouver WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a wonderful story about a young girl's Oma who is moving into a retirement home. It shows how hard it can be for her grandmother moving from the home she's known for so long, and trying to adjust to her new surroundings. It teaches a lot of empathy for the elderly, but without being preachy. My own daughter calls her grandparents "Oma" and "Opa" (German for Grandmother and Grandfather) and although her Oma isn't quite read for retirement yet, and doesn't make cabbage soup and strudel, it really helped bring the story to life for her. Every child can probably find a bit of their own grandparents in the story. The illustrations are as excellent as the story.

5.0 out of 5 stars PRECIOUS book!!, January 16, 2009

By	Cindy J. Greever "michellesmama" (WA STATE USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Everyone in our Family adores this book!! Even though it is a children's book it is so full of love, compassion and emotion which stems from dealing with the elderly grandma having to move from her home and into assisted living. Therefore this book is very educational about the aging and how families must deal with their elderly parents at some point in their lives. The pictures are just magnificently drawn, beautiful artwork.
This book teaches children about aging and how to deal with the elderly in a compassionate and responsible way. Even Grandma is happy once she is established in her new "home" so a very happy ending!