A Stitch in Time (Quilt Trilogy, Volume 1) [Paperback]

Ann Rinaldi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1995

With quilting on the rise as a hot trend, it's time for this reissue by our top historical-fiction maven. The brilliantly woven 1st book "will leave readers in eager anticipation of its successors"-PW

"Everyone who has touched their lives...will have a square in the quilt."
Hannah is the strong one. The one who cares for her brothers and sisters; the one who's kept the family together. But now, everything is changing. Her father is more distant, and her siblings are starting lives of their own. That's when Hannah decides to make a quilt. A quilt of fabrics from people who are special to the family; people they trust. And when the sisters are separated, Hannah makes sure they each have a piece of the quilt. The quilt she hopes will bring her family together again.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The powerful symbolism of a quilt named Trust supplies a strong send-off for the first of Rinaldi's new trilogy about a Salem shipping merchant family in America's early post-revolution years. Sisters Hannah, Abby and Thankful Chelmsford, driven into separate journeys as a result of their father's cold and manipulative ways, each take a piece of the quilt; the conceit here is that only fabric taken from their most trusted friends will be added to it. Eldest sister Hannah, the narrator, stays in Salem while Abby elopes with a sea captain and fractious Thankful joins their father on a dangerous expedition to western territory. Hannah's feelings, from her doubts about her own prospects to her guilty resentment of Thankful, are fresh and contemporary, effectively contrasting with the story's archaic sex roles and adding to the richness of Rinaldi's ( In My Father's House ; A Break with Charity ) well-researched setting. With her infectious fascination for American history and her sensitive characterizations, Rinaldi again creates an adventurous, heart-catching story that will leave readers in eager anticipation of its successors. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up-This first book in a projected trilogy presents the embittered Chelmsford family of Salem, Massachusetts, circa 1780. From young Cabot, who longs to go to sea; to Abigail, who runs away with her Southern beau; to Thankful, the saucy favored daughter; to Lawrence, the handsome older brother; to Hannah, the eldest and the narrator, readers are drawn into the struggles of a post-Revolutionary war family. Nathaniel, the patriarch, is aloof and puritanical. He leaves for a trip to the Ohio frontier and takes Thankful with him. With two sisters gone, one brother in rebellion, and the other leading the western expedition, Hannah is left as the family sentinel. She takes solace in the quilt she is making from scraps given to her by special friends and family. As she tells her story and stitches her quilt, the patchwork of their lives takes shape. Hannah grows as she learns to cope with startling facts of her deceased mother's life, the return of an old flame, and her own love for a dashing sea captain. There is plenty of personal interest, adventure, humor, fear, and joy in this ambitious novel, and more action than in Rinaldi's In My Father's House (Scholastic, 1993). The appealing characters ring true. However, this is a long book, and Rinaldi occasionally waxes philosophical as Hannah ponders her fate. The research is well documented, and the quilt theme is a unique strand that will eventually pull all three books and sisters together. A good, solid addition where historical fiction is in demand.
Beth Tegart, Oneida City Schools, NY
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks; 1ST edition (August 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590460560
• ISBN-13: 978-0590460569
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,020,531 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

ANN RINALDI is an award-winning author best known for bringing history vividly to life. A self-made writer and newspaper columnist for twenty-one years, Ms. Rinaldi attributes her interest in history to her son, who enlisted her to take part in historical reenactments up and down the East Coast. She lives with her husband in central New Jersey.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rinaldi at her very best!, January 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: A Stitch in Time (Quilt Trilogy, Volume 1) (Paperback)

When I read the back of this book, I thought the publishers made it sound boring. But I bought it anyway, since I love Ann Rinaldi's books. Well, this book was totally amazing! The characters were vivid and memorable, and the action kept on coming! I finished it quickly, not being able to put it down. This book is definately way up there at the top of my list, with FINISHING BECCA and THE LAST SILK DRESS. If you like drama and historical fiction, you'll love this book. I did!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's an Enjoyable Read!, May 7, 2002

By 

Brandi (Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Stitch in Time (Quilt Trilogy, Volume 1) (Paperback)

Ann Rinaldi is one of my favorite authors. This book was no disappointment to me. I loved the way she twisted the plot and what happens to the characters. I myself could not put the book down once I started to read it and I think you won't be able to put it down either.

Hannah Chelmsford has been the one to watch out for her brothers and sisters since her mother's death. Hannah's father, Nathaniel Chelmsford, has barely anything to do with his children and has Hannah take care of them. Hannah and her sisters, Abigail and Thankful, are making a quilt. When they started the quilt, there were only going to be pieces for family, then they decide to add people that have meant something in their lives and there has to be trust between these people.

Hannah soon helps her sister, Abigail, plan her elopement. Abigail has to elope because her father won't let her get married. They put the plan into action one night hoping everything goes well.

Lawrence, Hannah's brother, is going on a trip west with his father and Thankful, to paint pictures of the Indians. Lawrence is made second in command because of his militia experience. Thankful gets to go along because she made a bargain with Hannah, to where Hannah would get their father to let her go along and Thankful would keep her mouth shut about Abigail's elopement. What will happen to Thankful, Lawrence, and their father in the west?

Richard Lander, the captain of the Prince, is a long time friend of Hannah's. Richard has become the talk of the town since rumors have gone around about his ship. Plus no one but the investors, Richard, and his crew know the destination of the ship and that has made many people mad. Richard asks Hannah to wait for him, but Hannah thinks that there's no trust between them. In the weeks before he is to leave Richard tries to prove to Hannah that he cares for her. Will Hannah decide to wait for Richard while he's gone?

Louis, a man Hannah was once engaged to, shows up at the door asking Hannah if she will watch his baby. Night Song, the baby, is half Indian and Kentuckians killed her mother during a raid on a Shawnee village. Will Hannah decide to keep the baby for Louis?

Hannah's father puts money into making the first cotton yarn factory in America. The factory ends up in trouble when the ladies of the surrounding community threaten to shut it down. Hannah is asked to help but will she? Will Hannah keep the family from falling apart?

I loved this book! The plot is great! I love how trust is the main idea behind this book, because I believe you have to have trust between people just like Hannah did. I enjoyed this book very much and I believe you will too!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WONDERFUL!!!, July 22, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Stitch in Time (Quilt Trilogy) (School & Library Binding)

This book was great! WOW! To tell you the truth, it wasn't one of the best Ann Rinaldi books I've ever read, but hey, it passes. Fifteen year-old Hannah Chelmsford has a mixed up life: a seperated family we could call it. Her father is a mean old man who won't allow either Hannah or Abby(his oldest daughters) to marry who they wish, he won't let his son Lawrence marry or paint, and his youngest son he hates beyond all things. Thankful is his favorite, and the only "perfect" Chelmsford in her father's eyes. Well, Hannah's mother is dead, and she takes it as her job to hold the family together. She even starts on a quilt with her two sisters. They each have a cloth, and patch together peices of people they love and trust in their lives. When her youngest brother, Cabot, runs off to sea, a secret about their mother is revealed, and Hannah finds her true love, Richard. Later in the story, we find out that when father, Lawrence, and Thankful were on their trip west, Thankful is taken by Indians. Read this to find out the rest...it's great!