Το ταξίδι της παπλωματούς

by Jeff Brumbeau, Gail de Marcken (Illustrator)

Μια τρυφερή ιστορία που μιλά για την αξία της γενναιοδωρίας και την ομορφιά της προσφοράς - ένα γενναίο κορίτσι αφήνει τον τόπο της και ταξιδεύει σε άλλους τόπους, για να ανακαλύψει που βρίσκεται η αληθινή ευτυχία. (. . .) (ΑΠΟ ΤΗΝ ΠΑΡΟΥΣΙΑΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΚΔΟΣΗΣ)

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Quilting, Fiction, Fantasy, Art, Kids

52 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

It was Jeff’s exposure to independent, self-sufficient women, Jeff believes, that later inspired him to write children’s stories that featured strong women, as in his first two books, The Man-In-The-Moon In Love and The Quiltmaker’s Gift.

Growing up, Jeff was interested in tales with a strong moral base, especially those found in eighteenth and nineteenth century children’s literature. In his stories, he wanted to create the same vibrancy and ethical values that are found in the classic tales of Hans Christian Andersen and the Grimm Brothers. For The Quiltmaker’s Gift, he selected the quilt as a symbol for the theme of giving and sharing, because a quilt represents the ultimate gift. It offers both practical warmth and artistic beauty.

Reviews

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

For my reading project, I choose some books by their reviews, and some I pick off the shelf. This has such an inviting cover that I grabbed it enthusiastically. It is such a beautiful book on so many levels. Although a picture book, it is not suitable for the very young. I would say perhaps six or seven years old. It is the story of a young woman who grows up in a walled city of plenty. She is completely unaware of the poverty that exists outside the walls, but her courage leads her on a journey to see what lies beyond, and to do her small part in making the lives of other less fortunate people happier. That's the story, but it's only a part of this incredible book. The illustrations are gorgeous. The endpapers show colorful watercolors of different quilt blocks, with their names, and flanked by many different species of birds, also named. Each page, while it has a longer block of text than many picture books, features several smaller watercolors along with a larger one. Next to the text is one of the quilt blocks. I would say that after reading this book to a child, the reader would have plenty to talk about. Wealth and poverty. Helping those less fortunate. Courage. Using your talents. Any quiltmaker should take a look at this as a possible read for a child or grandchild. I understand that this is a prequel to The Quiltmaker's Gift which I intend to read also.

[Autumn Slaght · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mother and I used to read this all the time when I was a little girl. Reading it again brings back good memories, and reminds me how important it is to look around, see the hurting around us and follow what the Lord calls us to do to make a difference in our worlds.

[eva ⚘ · Rating 5 out of 5]

fave book from my childhood ♡

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read aloud for kids!

[Ann Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

As wonderful as The Quiltmaker's Gift. My grandkids LOVED both. We read them over and over and over again. They are top of the pile books!

[♥♣Mary♦♠ If She So Pleases]

Though giving is an important lesson to teach people, the way the book went about it is all wrong. The young girl went from filthy rich to homeless of her own accord. She could have done more good by having money and power but instead she makes precious quilts for the poor, while she herself has nothing. She demands other people do good instead of just doing the good herself and having others follow her example. Then, there's an ultimatum put, either stay rich or help the poor. What sort of example is that? Many wealthy people help the poor. To me, this book doesn't have a Christian feel to it, it feels more like NGOs halting commercial progression, feels a bit communist.

[Astra Demertzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a beautiful story, teaching children an incredible lesson. Money can't bring happiness. Self-sacrifice can. Giving stuff away to people in need, that cannot afford them. People who need to be loved or to be taken care of. I just love it so much, it brought so many feelings to the surface and made me emotional. It's a story that deserves to be told, heard and repeated over and over again.

Dear childhood, please come back. I might be only 17, but still, if I could return back just to listen these stories for the first time, I would.

[Mariela Alfaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary:
There was a quilt maker in the top of the mountain who sewed all day and at night would go down to the town in search of those in need. She would make the most beautiful quilts anyone had ever seen people would line up all the way to the top of the mountain willing to pay whatever it took for her to make them a quilt; however, she denied, she only made quilts for the poor. On the other hand, the town had a very superficial king who made everyone give him gifts for his birthday and Christmas to make him happy. However, all the gifts in town did not make him happy and thought he needed even more gifts. Until one day one of his servants told him about the quilts. He demanded to have one of the quilts but the quilt maker denied. She told her they are only for the poor and she would only make one for him if he gave away everything he had. He took the quilt maker from the mountain and into a journey to make her ‘surrender’ and make a quilt for him. She stood by her word and did not make a quilt until the king gave away everything he had. Once he gave everything he realized giving/helping made him happy and every day he would sit next to the quilt maker while she sewed and at night he will look for people who were cold and give them quilts.

Major Theme:
Materialism and the search for happiness.

Personal Response:
I really enjoyed reading the book it included wonderful illustrations to accompany the text. It demonstrated very valuable lessons in the importance of giving back and helping others. Furthermore, it was a great example to demonstrate socioeconomic differences and how material items do not determine happiness.

Recommendation:
I would definitely recommend this book as an introduction to socio-economic differences. As well as it can help foster imagination, and story telling skills since the reader can stop and ask the children what they think will happen to the quilt maker as she encounters each journey.

[Aggelina Papathanasiou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Πρόκειται για μια τρυφερή και γλυκιά ιστορία που μπορεί να διαβαστεί από μικρούς και μεγάλους αναγνώστες. Ένα βιβλίο που μας μαθαίνει ή μας υπενθυμίζει την αξία της προσφοράς, της γενναιοδωρίας και της αγάπης.

Ποια είναι όμως η Παπλωματού; Εδώ σε αυτό το βιβλίο μαθαίνουμε την ιστορία της και πώς ξεκίνησε να φτιάχνει αυτά τα υπέροχα, μοναδικά παπλώματα.

Όταν ήταν μικρό κορίτσι, ζούσε σε μια Πολιτεία που όλοι ήταν πλούσιοι. Η ίδια είχε χάσει τους γονείς της, αλλά ήταν τόσο μα τόσο πλούσια, που δεν της έλειπε ποτέ τίποτα. Για να πούμε την αλήθεια, της έλειπε κάτι. Δεν ήταν ευτυχισμένη, παρά τα πλούτη της.

Η Πολιτεία όπου ζούσε ήταν περιτριγυρισμένη από ψηλά τείχη. Οι γέροντες λέγανε ότι κανένας δεν έπρεπε να περάσει αυτά τα τείχη. Όλοι πίστευαν ότι κάτι το τρομερό θα συναντήσουν πέρα από τα τείχη και ο φόβος τούς έκανε να μένουν στην Πολιτεία τους. Το μικρό κορίτσι ήταν όμως πολύ θαρραλέο και αποφάσισε να φύγει και να γνωρίσει αυτό που υπάρχει έξω από τη δική της Πολιτεία.

Και το καταφέρνει. Αυτά που αντικρίζουν τα μάτια της όμως δεν έχουν σχέση με όσα έλεγαν οι Γέροντες.
Οι εικόνες αυτές επηρέασαν πολύ το μικρό κορίτσι, και παίρνει μια απόφαση που θα αλλάξει τη ζωή της αλλά και τη ζωή όσων είχαν ανάγκη.

Μια υπέροχη ιστορία που δείχνει σε όλους μας ότι τα πλούτη δεν φέρνουν την ευτυχία. Όσο τετριμμένο και αν ακούγεται αυτό, είναι μια αλήθεια. Η προσφορά, η αλληλεγγύη, η γενναιοδωρία, η καλοσύνη είναι στοιχεία που δίνουν την πληρότητα στην ψυχή του ανθρώπου.

Υπέροχη είναι και η εικονογράφηση του βιβλίου. Παραμυθένια, με πανέμορφα χρώματα και λεπτομέρειες που μαγεύουν τον αναγνώστη. Πραγματικά, ένα υπέροχο βιβλίο που αξίζει να διαβάσουμε μαζί με τα παιδιά μας, φροντίζοντας με τη σειρά μας να κάνουμε μικρές πράξεις που θα κάνουν τον κόσμο μας καλύτερο και εμάς πιο χαρούμενους.

[Nichole Dever · Rating 5 out of 5]

7 Year Old Review: If I saw a 7 year old, or someone who was just born or someone in their 90s, I’d tell them that they HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK!

It’s so good and also, it teaches you how to take care of others.

The quilt maker had a lot of money and lived in very tall house with gold. And she went on a journey and went through a door and found crooked houses and people trying to put them back up. She found out that there were people who were poor, and she found a boy and his mother and wanted to make them a quilt. And the quilt maker took really good care of that quilt for that boy and his mother. It took her a long time, but every stitch was important. She found some fruit on a tree, and gave her apples away to other people.

I really like this book, because it teaches you how to care for other people and stand up for people in need. ❤️

Grown up review: We this book at book at a thrift store, and I’m so glad we did. What a beautiful story for any age. A great way to teach so many things you’d want your child(ren) to learn (and also yourself). And it’s also full of colorful and creative illustrations and stories to captivate the reader. Also, being a woman and having my daughters, having such a committed and brave woman in a book like this was really special. I loved the emphasis on quiet generosity. In a world where everything is about recognition and grand ideals (which are fine if that’s you), I love the permission to be seemingly ordinary and small but spectacular and impactful.

[June Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Besides the quilting theme and the beautiful artwork, the thing I love most about this book are the themes of generosity, compassion, and kindness exhibited by the main character throughout this story. The issue of homelessness is presented in the plot.

I have always believed that reading fiction aloud to students is a great way to teach values. This author and illustrator have worked their magic in creating a memorable 'journey' for young readers to experience good values in a far away land with fictional characters.

Highly-recommended as a read-aloud for families, classroom, church/temple groups, youth/scout/club groups, quilters, and adults who enjoy a great story enriched with outstanding artwork!

###################

[La Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated by #GailDeMarcken. I love the mini quilts placed throughout the story. Quilt blocks have names with meaning.
#JeffBrumbeau has crafted a story to inspire people of all ages to be grateful. And, to look around for those who need encouragement, or a helping hand to get them out of traumatic circumstances.
I can’t wait to send this to my grandchildren!
#initiative #growth #change #kindness

[CarolBeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Quiltmaker’s Journey” is a prequel to “The Quiltmaker’s Gift” by Jeff Brumbeau and Gail de Marcken, which I gave a solid five stars. This one lives up to its companion story, telling how the Quilt Maker started her magical life. The story is beautiful, with the same great moral as the first book: In order to be truly happy, give. The drawings are fantastic as well. Five stars for another great children’s book that adults will enjoy, too.

[Nichole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fable? folk tale? about a woman who grows up in wealth but then learns that not everyone does (outside of her walled-in town) and she learns that the elders of her community are not interested in fixing this at all. So she takes it into her own hands. I think it's fun and fanciful and shows how we should take care of each other and that helping others makes you feel good.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely pictures, the story….well. Just a bit more developed than The Quiltmaker’s Gift. Somehow a bit more depressing that the Princess has everything stripped from her because she won’t do as she is told and she more or less knuckles under to the powers that be and can only survive by the gifts given her by the denizens of the forest.

[Andi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book and it's companion, The Quiltmaker's Gift, were part of my mother's picture book collection. The story is beautiful - about generosity and community - and the illustrations take my breath. We've been reading it to Milo.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story and pictures throughout the book. Each page has a quilt block on it and the front and the back inside pages have the name of each block underneath the picture of the quilt block.

[Aley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are stunning.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot didn't captivate me as much as the first book, but the illustrations and the quilt pattern references are fascinating.

[Megan B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story.

[Codi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! It is perfect for all ages and the story is beautiful. The illustrations add to the beauty and make it one amazing whole. Love it!

[Jasmine Shadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful message of giving and helping. Delightful illustrations as well.

[Reida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Art/illusration

[Giota Spiliopoulou · Rating 5 out of 5]

πολύ ωραία ιστορία με πλούσια εικονογράφηση

[Alicia Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

For: quilt/folk tale fans; readers looking for a book about the importance of giving.

Possible red flags: depictions of poverty; characters in peril; a little long.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the art and all the different styles of quilts.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

My students and grandgirls adore this story.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a work of art. The story was lovely but the illustrations were out of this world. Highly recommended.

[KAurora Blythe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gorgeously illustrated. Attempted a meaningful story but was too overtly preachy. Needed more story development.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

i read this book as a teacher assistant for the 4th graders and i love it so much.
putting this on goodreads because i want to remember to purchase it for my future kids lol