The Patchwork Quilt (Jerry Pinkney)

Flournoy, Valerie. The Patchwork Quilt. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1985. ISBN 9780803700970

PLOT SUMMARY
In The Patchwork Quilt a young girl named Tanya observes how her aging grandmother carefully saves fabric from her family’s life and utilizes it in the creation of a quilt. Tanya learns how each square of fabric represents a family memory as she spends time with her grandmother. Before the quilt is finished, her grandmother falls ill and Tanya decides to take over the important work. Tanya’s grandmother gradually recovers, completes the quilt, and presents it as a gift to Tanya. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Flourney and Pinkney have teamed up to tell a story that celebrates family traditions and the joy and importance of remembering the past. 

Flourney uses dialogue throughout the book as a way to give insight into each character. Tanya’s youth and energy are expressed through her words throughout the book, like when she asked her grandmother what she was “gonna do” with her “stuff.” Likewise, her grandmother’s traditional southern dialect was represented in the way she addressed her granddaughter throughout the book as “honey” and exclaims “hush, child” when exasperated. 

Detailed writing give the reader the opportunity to experience Tanya’s family as an insider. The reader is allowed to listen in to conflict when grandmother reprimand’s mama after she takes the role of caring for an aging parent too far. The reader also gets to experience the mundane with the family- eating homemade biscuits, making snow angels in the yard, and drinking hot chocolate. Finally, the reader gets to peek at a few of the family’s traditions- including their Christmas celebration. While Flourney’s engaging dialogue and descriptive style of writing serve to add incredible insight, the book may be too lengthy for audiences in younger grade levels. 

Pinkney uses detailed pencil and watercolor illustrations to add dimension to Flourney’s text. Pastel colors give the book warmth and welcome the reader to to notice the many subtle details. The 1980s time period of the story is clearly defined through the illustrations.  Careful attention has been given to ensuring that each character displays their individuality, in the varying shades of brown skin, differing styles of clothing, and various textures of hair styles. The true genius of Pinkney’s illustrations is found in the very realistic and expressive faces of Tanya’s family. Detailed emotions play across the faces of each family member, making each illustration seem like a candid moment in the family’s lives. 

The Patchwork Quilt is a sentimental glimpse into one African-American family. The universal theme of family and personal heritage is honored through the individual story of a child named Tanya.

AWARDS AND REVIEW EXCERPTS
The Christopher Award

Corretta Scott King Award

Booklist: “a comforting sense of strong family bonds”

Kirkus Reviews: “Pinkney's pictures glow softly and abound in loving smiles.”

CONNECTIONS
Have each student create a patch that represents themselves and then “stitch” them together to create a classroom quilt!

Accompany The Patchwork Quilt with poems about peace and illustrations made of actual quilts.
Hines, Anna Grossnickle. Peaceful Pieces: Poems and Quilts About Peace. ISBN: 9780805089967

Read other books about families, quilts, and the act of remembering!
Mills, Lauren. The Rag Coat. ISBN: 9780316574075
Polacco, Patricia. The Keeping Quilt.  ISBN: 9780153052125
Stroud, Bettye. The Patchwork Path: A Quilt to Freedom. ISBN: 9780763635190