Pieces: A Year in Poems & Quilts

I have two children (5 & 7) and BOTH love this book! The quilts are simply beautiful and the poems short and fun (easy) to read. This is a great book to start children enjoying more "adult" sounding poetry and not nursery rhymes. We talk about what the poems mean and look at the patterns and colors of the quilts. My mother is a quilter and I sew as well, so we talk about how quilts are made and quilts as an art form. I am so glad it is a favorite with them, because I sure love the book too!!

Anna Hines' imagination has brought us this bright combination of her 19 quilts and seasonal poems. Would-be quilters can be encouraged because not all of the piecing is perfect ( & therefore intimidating!). Each turning page brings a new kaleidescopic "ballet" of color, from the dark crows in the cedar tree to the changing palette of an early Spring sky. The words of previously published "Just When I Thought" are wonderfully appropriate at the time of year when skies are moody and change so poetically. Later the coiled skunk cabbage leaves burst into green, surrounded by all the marvelous uncountable shades that keep us awe-struck from March through June. God's greens are joined by a heavenly fire-shower of golds & silver: dandelion fluff is blown to the skies. Then lavendars blanket a tiny kitchen garden as I imagine the author's "Mirage" : "Oh, phlox, I like the way you make the garden floor a purple lake." Hines' autumn leaves fall "taking all daysily" and because they don't melt she writes an "Ode to a Rake." Winter casts shadows of naked branches, and just when the grays intrude two yellow roses bloom to chase away dark feelings. Flowers and colors burst everywhere in this lovely tribute to America's true art form: Quilting. Reviewer mcHAIKU predicts this book will charm many children into sharing their happy stories about favorite images & colors. Anna Hines' quilts are brilliant, spirit-lifting bouquets. There are helpful notes by the author, and bibliography, etc., and they will doubtless help to nudge you toward pursuing either writing or stitching of your own.

There are many things to admire in the book PIECES. First, the quilts. She came up with these gorgeous, fascinating designs that are so lovely, you'll find yourself staring at each for a long time. The stitching: so original. The photography: catches every detail, each stitch, the texture of the fabric. The printing: the color matching is so superb, it should win a prize. The poetry: Here I'm not handing out any prizes, but it is fun to read. (It's recommended for ages 5 and up.) Here's a bit I found especially delightful, from "Misplaced?":"In a mass of wild confusion flowers bloom in great profusion, brilliant dazzling bold infusion, pink-blue purple stimulation, red-gold-yellow conflagration, rousing raucous celebration, stirring us to jubilation, echoing the exultation of their bright and vibrant show!"It's a short book; there are only about 22 quilts in the whole thing. (The theme is the seasons of the year.) She talks about the making of the quilts at the back of the book. My thought is that this combination of the visual and poetic can stir the imagination. Get your children to try to match up the pieces of fabric within the pictures and from one to another.

Lyrical poems celebrating the seasons are illustrated with miniature quilts (12" x 18"). Mary Grossnickle Hines as an author writes short poems that are wonderfully evocative. Hines as a quilter has created exquisite fabric pictures. This will surely be one of the Caldecott '02 finalists and it certainly gets my vote as the winner.(I am a librarian and a quilter.)

excellent book for children, poetry and quilting illlustrations, for adults who love quilting, for teachers who do quilting projects in school classrooms and for any children's book colle ction.