The Quiltmaker's Gift [Hardcover]

Jeff Brumbeau (Author), Gail De Marcken (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up

The Quiltmaker's Gift celebrates the quilting tradition, the value of generosity, and the spirit of community in a beautiful and touching fable for our times. This richly illustrated picture book celebrates the joy of giving and gently emphasizes the age-old truth that material wealth does not necessarily buy happiness. The Quiltmaker's Gift is a heartwarming children's fable, a celebration of quilters and quilting, and a challenging adult parable all wrapped into one.

A wise and generous quiltmaker, with magic in her fingers and love for humanity in her heart, sews the most beautiful quilts in the world-and gives each one away for free to a needy recipient. A greedy king, his castle overflowing with riches and treasures, never smiles-and yearns for the one thing that will bring him laughter and happiness. As the story unfolds, the reader watches the king learn the most valuable lesson of his life. Under the quiltmaker's guidance, the king is transformed as he gives away his precious things all around the world. He learns the true meaning of happiness by bringing joy to the lives of others. He finally begins to smile.

This charming fable is brought to stunning visual life by the beautiful bursting illustrations, which leap off every page of the book. The artist's years working for the Peace Corps are richly reflected in her art work, showing characters and adventures in all the colors of the world-as rich and varied as the crazy quilts made by the quiltmaker. Each page also highlights a different traditional quilt block pattern , the name of which relates to the unfolding story. Hundreds of subtle messages and intriguing substories are embedded in the art, inviting new discoveries reading after reading.

The reverse side of the book jacket features a dramatic puzzle poster showing the king's amazing collection of stuff. Gail de Marcken has pictured 250 different quilt block names among the treasure trove.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As intricately worked as a patchwork quilt, de Marcken's (Born to Pull) fanciful watercolors are the highlight of this somewhat pedestrian fable. Rich but dissatisfied, a king demands a quilt from a gifted quiltmaker, but she refuses unless he gives away all his material possessions. The irate monarch twice attempts to punish her but both times she foils him. Finally he agrees to her demand, growing progressively happier with each thing that he gives away. Brumbeau's overlong tale treads a well-worn trail here, hampered by bursts of overwrought prose ("the king's great sunny laugh made green apples fall and flowers turn his way"). The artwork achieves a dizzying, quilted look with lush full-page illustrations in cotton-candy colors sharing a spread with saucy vignettes; "the king could not sleep" for instance, inspires a droll four-panel peek at the restless fellow tossing and turning in bed. De Marcken pays homage at every turn to the quiltmaker's craft. Each section of text appears on a plain cream "block" with stitching around the edges, and the endpapers sport an array of labeled quilt patterns. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4-A charitable seamstress makes beautiful quilts that she gives to the needy and poor. When a greedy king hears of the marvelous creations, he demands that she sell him one. She refuses, but says that she will give him one if he gives away all of his possessions. The angry monarch tries to force her to bend to his will. Unsuccessful, he begins to travel the world giving away his amassed treasures. When he returns to the village, a happier man in ragged clothing, she presents him with a beautiful quilt. The sweet story will warm the hearts of readers, but it is the illustrations that bring the book to life. The realistic watercolors are a patchwork of rich, vibrant color. They resonate with fabric patterns, though the overall effect is slightly busy. Each spread includes a corresponding pattern (the Bear's Paw block reflects the quilter's encounter with a bear). One spread has many quilt-block names hidden in the pictures; unfortunately, the search game detailed on the verso of the dust jacket will be lost to libraries that cover it in plastic. A useful book for teaching values or for quilt units.
Angela J. Reynolds, Washington County Cooperative Library Services, Aloha, OR
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Orchard Books (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570251991
• ISBN-13: 978-1570251993
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (70 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,571,765 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Author Jeff Brumbeau lives in Chicago and Taos with his wife, Marcia, and their cats, Lou the Alley Cat and Sam the Persian. His first children's book, The Man-in-the-Moon in Love, whimsically explores the power of friendship and the value of creative problem solving.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a valuable treasure, January 26, 2000

By 

colleen lafata - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Quiltmaker's Gift (Hardcover)

Though my children are grown, I still enjoy brousing the children's book section of the local bookstore. I was drawn to remove The Quiltmakers Gift from it's resting place on the shelf because of the beautifully rendered, inviting illustrations on it's cover. And what a pleasant surprise when I opened the book to find a wealth of the same along with a most touching and tenderly written story about a king living in unhappy greed amongst the finest of splendor. Yet this same greed allows his path to cross with that of a loving, giving soul who has the gift to help the king learn how to find his own happiness. It is apparent that both author and illustrator have a deep understanding of the gift of giving, and have given us a wonderful story to share with our loved ones. I found myself sitting in the bookstore wiping away the tears from my eyes and I knew this book was a must even though I may save it for years before having grandchildren to read it to.

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not Just for Children - A Gift for the Giver in Your Life, June 28, 2000

By 

Quaker Annie "reader" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Quiltmaker's Gift (Hardcover)

I'm not surprised to find this book listed as a Children's Book - who else is supposed to enjoy beautiful illustrated fables?

The answer, of course, is the grown-up who reads it aloud. The detailed illustrations in this book will fascinate the fortunate child who hears the tale. The fortunate adult reader and the child will enjoy following this story about an unhappy king, laden with "things" he thought would make him happy.

A classic consumer, he "gets" more and more - his closets and rooms are burdened with beautiful treasures that bring him little joy. He thinks the only thing he doesn't have - one of the quiltmaker's quilts - will bring him that elusive happiness. But she only gives to the poor - despite his threats and angry attempts to show her who has the power - she will not give him a quilt.

She tells him how he can get that quilt - the answer of course is simple, once he figures it out.

A wonderful gift for that person you know who always gives (s/he might like reading it to children or grandchildren) or the quilt-lover on your list. The colorful quilt patterns shown and named inside the front and back covers, and inside the dustjacket(! ) are fantastic.

Like "Old Turtle," this is a beautifully illustrated book with rich layers to be enjoyed by children and adults, year after year.

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tale of Generosity, January 9, 2000

By 

[e-mail] (Clinton,MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Quiltmaker's Gift (Hardcover)

I have two boys, five and eight, and I have read to them nightly since they were born. My mother, a children's librarian, has instilled the love of books in myself and my children. This year for Christmas she gave us The Quiltmaker's Gift. It immediately became one of our favorites. The illustrations are outstanding and the text creates visual pictures of it's own. The tale of the joy of giving instead of receiving is an excellent teaching tool for parents. My eight year old cried when the Quiltmaker covered the poor, cold, homeless with breathtakingly beautiful quilts. This book also is a tribute to those talented individuals who make quilts and give them to others. Both of my boys received quilts when they were born and I have one made by my grandmother and grandfather, both whom have passed on. These quilts are treasures as is this book. Buy it!