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mdevlin923's review against another edition
4.0
Patricia tells the story of her great-grandmother, Anna, who immigrated to the United States from Russia. Anna creates a quilt from an old dress and a babushka, an uncle's shirt, an aunt's nightdress, and another aunt's apron. This quilt is used for many different occasions, and is passed down for many generations...until Patricia can use it for her own wedding and bringing her children home from the hospital.
A lovely story about family and mementos. Good to read-aloud to a classroom of students.
A lovely story about family and mementos. Good to read-aloud to a classroom of students.
kathydavie's review against another edition
3.0
A children's storybook that revolved around a quilt of memories.
My Take
It was sweet enough—and I'm already prejudiced towards it as I am a quilter. And I want to make one of these. I absolutely adored the colorful animals and flowers that were appliqued on this quilt! I also loved the many, many ways in which this quilt was used and loved [although I did hold my breath when it was used as a tablecloth...eek].
It was more a story of family, keeping alive the memory of those who have passed on.
It's also a very personal story for the author as it's of her family and their family memories. Memories that took me back to my own family and family picnics at my grandparents'.
I'm also split on the way in which Polacco told her story. I wanted more. More of the cultural traditions Polacco's family brought from Russia. I appreciated the Jewish traditions---love the quilt as a huppa---but there must have been some Russian influence on it all!?? Or did I just not notice...?
I wish that Polacco had been more clear about Great-Gramma Anna's age when she first arrived in America---as well as a re-wording of "Great-Grandpa Sasha" with whom she fell in love. Took me a bit aback until I re-worded it in my mind to "Sasha, who became my great-grandpa". That first page had me looking for an old lady in the crowd. And why is there no name for Great-Gramma Anna's mother??
From the beginning with Great-Gramma Anna who comes across the ocean from Russia with her parents to America, and we follow the author's family to now, always with the quilt to keep memories alive.
The Characters
Great-Gramma Anna who married Great-Grandpa Sasha had Grandma Carle who married Grandpa George, and they had Mary Ellen who had Patricia who looks forward to keeping on with the quilt.
The Cover
The cover is very representative of the story with generations of women admiring the colorful quilt of animals and flowers.
The title is of a very important memory, The Keeping Quilt that keeps alive the memories of those who have made possible the family of today.
My Take
It was sweet enough—and I'm already prejudiced towards it as I am a quilter. And I want to make one of these. I absolutely adored the colorful animals and flowers that were appliqued on this quilt! I also loved the many, many ways in which this quilt was used and loved [although I did hold my breath when it was used as a tablecloth...eek].
It was more a story of family, keeping alive the memory of those who have passed on.
It's also a very personal story for the author as it's of her family and their family memories. Memories that took me back to my own family and family picnics at my grandparents'.
On the illustrations, I'm split. Polacco did a great job of rendering family portraits, and I do appreciate that using charcoal for the people and color only for the quilt really made the quilt itself stand out---thank you very much, Patricia Polacco! On the other hand, the contrast between the styles was jarring. It could well be that my love for fabric really wanted the clothing everyone was wearing to be more vivid. I did adore the evolution of fashion with each flip of a page.A gold coin, a dried flower, and a piece of rock salt…
Bread...
Wine...
I'm also split on the way in which Polacco told her story. I wanted more. More of the cultural traditions Polacco's family brought from Russia. I appreciated the Jewish traditions---love the quilt as a huppa---but there must have been some Russian influence on it all!?? Or did I just not notice...?
I wish that Polacco had been more clear about Great-Gramma Anna's age when she first arrived in America---as well as a re-wording of "Great-Grandpa Sasha" with whom she fell in love. Took me a bit aback until I re-worded it in my mind to "Sasha, who became my great-grandpa". That first page had me looking for an old lady in the crowd. And why is there no name for Great-Gramma Anna's mother??
The Story...wealth, love, and flavor for their lives
...never know hunger
...for laughter
From the beginning with Great-Gramma Anna who comes across the ocean from Russia with her parents to America, and we follow the author's family to now, always with the quilt to keep memories alive.
The Characters
Great-Gramma Anna who married Great-Grandpa Sasha had Grandma Carle who married Grandpa George, and they had Mary Ellen who had Patricia who looks forward to keeping on with the quilt.
The Cover
The cover is very representative of the story with generations of women admiring the colorful quilt of animals and flowers.
The title is of a very important memory, The Keeping Quilt that keeps alive the memories of those who have made possible the family of today.
t_neoma's review against another edition
5.0
A great book about ancestral stories and heirlooms. A story of how a quilt becomes a talisman, passed down through the generations, to hold them in their joys and sorrows. A beautiful and touching read. Amazingly and emotionally illustrated.
nicexfox's review against another edition
5.0
The ONLY thing I dislike about this book is the part where Anna marries great grandpa Sasha. The wording of that part always leaves my students asking why she married her own great grandpa, haha.
shicklin's review against another edition
5.0
Historical Fiction
The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco is a beautifully told story of immigration, memory, and home. The story begins with Polacco’s great grandmother’s arrival in America and ends with the arrival of Polacco’s own daughter Traci. In first person, Polacco tells the story of the keeping quilt that was made out of things they brought from Russia in order to “always remember home.” I am really looking forward to sharing this with my international class and asking them what they or their parents have that remind them of “home.” This past week in teacher’s meeting we discussed the transience of our school population; they are all Third Culture Kids (TCKs). Many of our students adopt American culture and no longer use their given name, or identify with their nationality. This book offers a great entry point into talking about this with younger students.
Two of my favorite things in this book are the brown illustrations contrasted by the keeping quilt, or anything that became the keeping quilt in bright colors. Also, I love the line, “When Anna went to school, English sounded to her like pebbles dropping into shallow water. Shhhhhh….Shhhhhh….Shhhhh.” I plan to use this sentence as a mentor sentence for grammar.
According to Scholastic.com, this is historical fiction. Interest level: Grades 3-5, Grade level Equivalent: 5.3, Lexile Measure: 920L, DRA: 20-24, Guided Reading M.
(Scholastic.com)
The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco is a beautifully told story of immigration, memory, and home. The story begins with Polacco’s great grandmother’s arrival in America and ends with the arrival of Polacco’s own daughter Traci. In first person, Polacco tells the story of the keeping quilt that was made out of things they brought from Russia in order to “always remember home.” I am really looking forward to sharing this with my international class and asking them what they or their parents have that remind them of “home.” This past week in teacher’s meeting we discussed the transience of our school population; they are all Third Culture Kids (TCKs). Many of our students adopt American culture and no longer use their given name, or identify with their nationality. This book offers a great entry point into talking about this with younger students.
Two of my favorite things in this book are the brown illustrations contrasted by the keeping quilt, or anything that became the keeping quilt in bright colors. Also, I love the line, “When Anna went to school, English sounded to her like pebbles dropping into shallow water. Shhhhhh….Shhhhhh….Shhhhh.” I plan to use this sentence as a mentor sentence for grammar.
According to Scholastic.com, this is historical fiction. Interest level: Grades 3-5, Grade level Equivalent: 5.3, Lexile Measure: 920L, DRA: 20-24, Guided Reading M.
(Scholastic.com)
rc211's review against another edition
This book is deep in tradition that it’s reader will gain insight of Russian-Jewish celebrations with momentos/family heirlooms passed to generation to generation; great book and illustrations which depict a real life journey and accounts.
compass_rose's review against another edition
4.0
Read as part of our author study on PP. Engaging story.
kailawil's review against another edition
5.0
There is something so incredible about Patricia Polacco's books. So much love, history, and heart in every word and picture. The Keeping Quilt is no exception.
alfajirikali's review against another edition
4.0
A quilt that serves as a remembrance of a Jewish-American family from Russia. The quilt is passed down through the generations, and the family story is retold when it is brought out for weddings, deaths, and birthdays.
(I wasn't fond of the illustration, but the story was quite moving.)
(I wasn't fond of the illustration, but the story was quite moving.)