(Picture book.Access-restricted-item true Addeddate 21:20:43 Boxid IA1165708 City New York Donorīelvederetiburonlibrary Edition 1st ed.

A note points to the 250 different quilt names hidden in the picture on the inside of the book jacket. The illustrations are elaborate, filled with clues to quilt names. He is soon poor, but happier than he’s ever been, and she fulfills her end of the bargain they remain partners forever after, with her sewing the quilts and him giving them away. At last, the king agrees to a bargain he will give away his many things, and the quiltmaker will sew him a quilt. When she refuses he tries to feed her to a hungry bear, then to leave her on a tiny island, but each time the quiltmaker’s kindness results in her rescue. Everyone brings presents till the castle overflows the king, still unhappy, locates the quiltmaker and directs her to make him a quilt. A greedy king so loves presents that he has two birthdays a year, and commands everyone in the kingdom to give him gifts. A gifted quiltmaker who makes outstanding quilts never sells her wares, but gives them away to the poor. Ages 4-8.Ī sentimental tale overwhelmed by busy illustrations and rampant pedantry. Each section of text appears on a plain cream “block” with stitching around the edges, and the endpapers sport an array of labeled quilt patterns. De Marcken pays homage at every turn to the quiltmaker’s craft.

The artwork achieves a dizzying, quilted look with lush full-page illustrations in cotton-candy colors sharing a spread with saucy vignettes “the king could not sleep” for instance, inspires a droll four-panel peek at the restless fellow tossing and turning in bed. Brumbeau’s overlong tale treads a well-worn trail here, hampered by bursts of overwrought prose (“the king’s great sunny laugh made green apples fall and flowers turn his way”). Finally he agrees to her demand, growing progressively happier with each thing that he gives away. The irate monarch twice attempts to punish her but both times she foils him. Rich but dissatisfied, a king demands a quilt from a gifted quiltmaker, but she refuses unless he gives away all his material possessions. As intricately worked as a patchwork quilt, de Marcken’s (Born to Pull) fanciful watercolors are the highlight of this somewhat pedestrian fable.

The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau