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The Blurb
While a young girl awaits the arrival of a new sibling, her Nana works on a special story quilt. As she sews, mends, and adds new patches, Nana shares the story of her own journey - of fleeing her homeland, finding love in a new country, and stitching together a new beginning from fragile threads.
With every new and restored patch, the girl begins to understand her place in the world. Patterns burst with stories, threads shimmer with spirits passed and new patches wait to be brought to life. Each careful mend and every stitch carries the hope of what's to come.
Now, as a new life enters the world, Nana's quilt wraps around her grandchildren in the warmth of the past and the promise of what's to come.
My Review
This delightful picture book tells the story of time through a continual needle and thread.
In fact, as we turn the pages we follow the thread through the life of a young girl as she waits for the birth of her new sibling. We meet her family and friends as we watch her grandmother sewing a quilt, weaving the past and present into every stitch.
It has been beautifully illustrated with the thread and the grandmother working on the quilt as constants throughout the book. We see the grandmother sharing photos and stories of the family's past, their fleeing their country in search of peace.
The illustrations add so much more to what is written in the text. They are delightfully done and encapsulate the story of this family through the three generations in the book.
It is a lovely story which is inclusive and diverse. It is a beautiful book for sharing and I could imagine it being one that a child returns to regularly. There is something very special within its pages and I highly recommend it.
Book Details
ISBN: 978 1800789654
Publisher: Templar Books
Formats: hardback
No. of Pages: 32
Purchase Links
About the Author
Sita is a multi-award-winning writer of novels, plays, novellas and short stories. She is the winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Award for Artichoke Hearts, and has been nominated for the Carnegie Medal five times. Sita has been an Amnesty International Ambassador and speaks in schools, at festivals and conferences. In 2018 Tender Earth received the UK Honour from the International Board of Books for Young People.
Sita is based in London. She is a former Writer in Residence for BookTrust and Writer in Residence at the Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants.
You can also find Sita at:
About the Illustrator
Jane is a London-born artist and illustrator. She has illustrated over 60 children's books, and her work has been widely recognised, earning nominations for prestigious awards like the Hans Christian Andersen Award (2018) and the Kate Greenaway Medal. Jane continues to exhibit her art regularly at galleries such as Primavera in Cambridge and Watermark Gallery. She works with Sita as the Artist in Residence at the Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants.
You can also find Jane at:
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(all opinions are my own)
(Bookshop.org affiliated)
