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Baby Girl spends part of everyday sitting beneath her grandmother’s quilt frame, watching her mother and her grandmother and their many friends build a quilt. A quilt may be a covering used for keeping warm, but it is also a story of the people behind the pieces of fabric that comprise it. Quilts could be made from old jeans, work clothes, a fancy dress, or even a baby’s soft blanket. Each piece tells a story as it becomes a part of the quilt.
After many months of watching the handiwork, Baby Girl’s mother calls to her that it is time for her to make her own quilt. Baby Girl carefully begins to explore all the possibilities for patterns and fabric to go into her own quilt. As her grandmother tells her stories of the Gee’s Bend, Alabama, ladies who have quilted over the years, Baby Girl decides to begin her quilt with a piece of fabric from her Grandmother. In this way, generations are linked to generations through the labor of the quilt and through its story.
Patricia McKissack has skillfully crafted another great story about the traditions of African Americans. Along the way, she reminds the reader of other historical moments. Illustrator Cozbi A. Cabrera uses simple drawings and bold colors to make this a gift worth sharing. Every McKissack book deserves a place on the shelf.
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Stitchin' and Pullin': A Gee's Bend Quilt