The Keeping Quilt

The Keeping Quilt

Authors: Patricia Polacco 

Illustrator: Patricia Polacco

Publisher: Aladdin

Copyright Date: 2001

# of Pages: 32

Genre: Multicultural Fiction

            This is the story of a little girl names Anna and her family coming to America from Russia. When Anna comes to America it’s very busy and she has to learn a new language, but soon she learns English and learns to get by in this new culture and environment. As Anna becomes too big for her clothes, Anna’s mother turns her old clothes and the old clothes of her loved ones into a quilt that represents family and tradition.

            The illustrations are made to use color to make focus to main characters and events while everything else is desaturated and made to look like an old vintage sepia photo. The illustrations look like they’re done in color pencil and water colors. Texture is very rough except for the smoothness of the water colors that bring life and focus to the illustrations. It’s almost like the images provide negative space and focus without actually having any negative space at all. I love the details in the designs Patricia Polacco put into things like the women’s bonnets and dresses.

            You could use this for writing prompt involving stirring questions of perspectives regarding diversity with displacement. You could talk about family traditions or time you had to move and learn the customs of a new place. There are tons of writing prompts within this story. You could discuss some of the traditions and cultures of the Jewish faith or people with Russian heritage. It’s an amazing book with loads of character development opportunities.