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The Quiltmaker's Gift
When a generous quiltmaker finally agrees to make a quilt for a greedy king but only under certain conditions, she causes him to undergo a change of heart.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1999
28 people are currently reading
1548 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Brumbeau
5 books12 followersIt 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.
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April 22, 2017
دوستانِ گرانقدر، این داستانِ کوتاه و زیبا، به زبان هایِ مختلف ترجمه شده است و جوایزی نیز دریافت کرده است
داستان در موردِ پیرزنِ لحاف دوزی است که بالای کوه به تنهایی زندگی میکند و بینظیرترین و زیباترین لحاف ها را میدوزد و هیچگاه آنها را نمیفروشد، بلکه آنها را به فقیر و ندارها هدیه میدهد
پادشاهی در آن سرزمین زندگی میکند که عاشق هدیه گرفتن است و زیباترین و ارزنده ترین هدایای دنیا را در قصرش جمع آوری کرده است.. امّا با این وجود هیچگاه شاد نیست و خنده به لبهایش نمی نشیند
پادشاه روزی متوجه میشود که پیرزنی لحاف دوز در آنجا زندگی میکند و جریان هنرمندی او را میشنود و به سراغ پیرزن رفته و از او لحاف درخواست میکند، امّا پیرزن میگوید: من لحاف را فقط برای فقرا میدوزم و تو فقیر نیستی و تنها زمانی برایت میدوزم که تمام هدایایی که گرفته ای را به مردم هدیه بدهی.... شاه عصبانی میشود و دستور میدهد تا پیرزن را.......... !!!!! عزیزانم، بهتر است خودتان این داستان را بخوانید و از سرانجامِ آن آگاه شوید
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امیدوارم از خواندنِ این داستانِ زیبا لذت ببرید
<پیروز باشید و ایرانی>
داستان در موردِ پیرزنِ لحاف دوزی است که بالای کوه به تنهایی زندگی میکند و بینظیرترین و زیباترین لحاف ها را میدوزد و هیچگاه آنها را نمیفروشد، بلکه آنها را به فقیر و ندارها هدیه میدهد
پادشاهی در آن سرزمین زندگی میکند که عاشق هدیه گرفتن است و زیباترین و ارزنده ترین هدایای دنیا را در قصرش جمع آوری کرده است.. امّا با این وجود هیچگاه شاد نیست و خنده به لبهایش نمی نشیند
پادشاه روزی متوجه میشود که پیرزنی لحاف دوز در آنجا زندگی میکند و جریان هنرمندی او را میشنود و به سراغ پیرزن رفته و از او لحاف درخواست میکند، امّا پیرزن میگوید: من لحاف را فقط برای فقرا میدوزم و تو فقیر نیستی و تنها زمانی برایت میدوزم که تمام هدایایی که گرفته ای را به مردم هدیه بدهی.... شاه عصبانی میشود و دستور میدهد تا پیرزن را.......... !!!!! عزیزانم، بهتر است خودتان این داستان را بخوانید و از سرانجامِ آن آگاه شوید
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امیدوارم از خواندنِ این داستانِ زیبا لذت ببرید
<پیروز باشید و ایرانی>
June 17, 2012
Best for ages 4 and up. This book is magnificent. Its message is incomparable. An illustrated treasure that every child should own.
February 16, 2016
A beautiful picture book. The story is sweet and meaningful, and the pictures are fantastic. The end papers feature different classic quilt blocks, and you can find them throughout the book. There are other puzzles and games that you can play with the detailed pictures.
Read
November 3, 2014This is a story of the victory of selflessness over greed and the power of generosity in transforming people’s hearts. The quilt maker is an old woman who lives at the top of the mountain. She makes quilts unlike any the world has seen. At night she goes down to the city and gives away her quilts to poor or homeless people. There is also a powerful and greedy king in the story, who loves getting presents. He owns a lot of things, but he is never happy. He is still looking for that one thing that would make him happy. One day he hears about the quilt maker and wants her to make him a quilt. Her condition is for him to make presents of everything he owns. For each thing he gives away, she will add another piece to the quilt. After a lot of hesitation and angry outbursts, the king finally agrees. He ends up traveling around the world, giving away his possessions and making people happy. Finally, he is in rags himself from all the traveling. The quilt maker finds him already happy and content and gives him his beautiful new quilt. They remain lifelong friends. She continues making quilts, and the king distributes them at night to the poor and downhearted. He has finally discovered the one thing that makes him happy, which is giving something away.
This book belongs to traditional literature genre of legends and folktales. It was written in 1999, but it reads like an old folktale. It has a story-telling pattern, rich language and elements of magic and fantasy. Its characters are evocative of old legends. The narrative also has a clear didactic purpose, with the moral of the story being that material things don’t make us happy – people do; also, that it is better to give than to receive.
The book is appropriate as an interactive read-aloud for grades K-2. Every page has a visual clue in the form of a quilt square whose symbolism is related to the passage. The names and pictures of all the featured squares are on the inside covers of the book. Children can examine them and explore the connection between the design and meaning of the square and how it fits into the narrative.
Educational concepts to teach with this book include retelling (ELA 0.1.7.7), story elements, characters, main events (ELA 1.1.3.3), predicting, summarizing and determining the moral of the story (ELA 2.1.2.2). Students can create charts and graphic organizers to compare and contrast the king’s character at the beginning and the end of the story.
Possible topics for discussion (evaluation) include gift giving and receiving (suitable around the time of holidays), charity, generosity vs. greed, and whether material things alone can make us happy.
A great way to integrate this book with arts is to make a class quilt. Students can draw their own quilt squares that tell a certain story (about themselves/their family.) Individual quilt squares can be glued to a big poster. This activity is suitable at the beginning of the school year as a way to build community in the classroom.
This book belongs to traditional literature genre of legends and folktales. It was written in 1999, but it reads like an old folktale. It has a story-telling pattern, rich language and elements of magic and fantasy. Its characters are evocative of old legends. The narrative also has a clear didactic purpose, with the moral of the story being that material things don’t make us happy – people do; also, that it is better to give than to receive.
The book is appropriate as an interactive read-aloud for grades K-2. Every page has a visual clue in the form of a quilt square whose symbolism is related to the passage. The names and pictures of all the featured squares are on the inside covers of the book. Children can examine them and explore the connection between the design and meaning of the square and how it fits into the narrative.
Educational concepts to teach with this book include retelling (ELA 0.1.7.7), story elements, characters, main events (ELA 1.1.3.3), predicting, summarizing and determining the moral of the story (ELA 2.1.2.2). Students can create charts and graphic organizers to compare and contrast the king’s character at the beginning and the end of the story.
Possible topics for discussion (evaluation) include gift giving and receiving (suitable around the time of holidays), charity, generosity vs. greed, and whether material things alone can make us happy.
A great way to integrate this book with arts is to make a class quilt. Students can draw their own quilt squares that tell a certain story (about themselves/their family.) Individual quilt squares can be glued to a big poster. This activity is suitable at the beginning of the school year as a way to build community in the classroom.
April 16, 2020
میشه گفت اصل داستان همون داستان پریان قدیمیه از همون داستان هایی که از دل عامه در اومدن، هموناکه میخواد نتیجه گیری اخلاقی رو با یه داستان کودکانه به بچه ها یاد بده: اینکه آدم با گرفتن شاد نمیشه بلکه با بخشیدنه که شاد میشه و مهم نیست که چقدر دارایی داشته باشی تا وقتی که شروع به بخشش نکنی تو زندگی هیچ شادی پیدا نمیکنی.
ولی از طرف دیگه طراحی های کتاب بی نظیر و فوق العاده با جزئیات، شلوغ و پر از رنگ های زیبان که به نظرم باعث میشه ارزش کتاب بالاتر از داستان معمولیش بره و اونو به یه اثر خاص تبدیل کنه
ولی از طرف دیگه طراحی های کتاب بی نظیر و فوق العاده با جزئیات، شلوغ و پر از رنگ های زیبان که به نظرم باعث میشه ارزش کتاب بالاتر از داستان معمولیش بره و اونو به یه اثر خاص تبدیل کنه
September 7, 2019
This delectable book is a simple, old-fashioned fairy tale exploring themes of greed and joy and generosity. The illustrations are bursting with color, detail, whimsy and charm.
It made me laugh; it made me cry; it made me want to be a better person. It's a rare children's book can make me do all of that.
It made me laugh; it made me cry; it made me want to be a better person. It's a rare children's book can make me do all of that.
November 23, 2016
The Quiltmaker's Gift, an award-winning folklore picture book, tells a modern folktale about a generous quilt-maker and a greedy king. The quilt-maker lives on the outskirts of the kingdom and makes beautiful quilts that she refuses to sell. Instead, the quilt-maker will only give her quilts to the poor and homeless. The greedy king prioritizes acquiring the most beautiful things for himself from all over the world, decides he wants a quilt, and the quilt-maker insists that she will only give him a quilt if he gives away everything else he has. The tale ends with the king finding true happiness in giving, eventually receiving a quilt from the quilt-maker that he then gives away.
Written at a 5th grade reading level, but with an interest level for students as young as kindergarten, The Quiltmaker’s Gift’s incredibly beautiful and intricate pictures and it’s engaging story make it a great read-aloud book for younger students and a great independent reading book for older students. The story provides a great life lesson about the joy that can be found in giving to others. It’s use of magical realism and fantasy will draw-in readers, as will its occasional silliness and fun – like when the soldiers marched to the quiltmaker’s house in their pajamas at the king’s order.
The life lesson that is taught in the story, as well as the moral question raised about the rightness of one person having so many luxuries while others do not have blankets to keep warm, offer great opportunities for student self-reflection, building classroom community, and for having rich classroom discussions. In a 5th grade classroom, after reading the book as a class and reflecting on the main life lesson and moral question raised by the book, the students could be given an individual assignment in which they answer two questions making text-to-self connections. First, they have to write an essay response in which they describe a time that they have shared something they had with someone else and it made them feel good. Second, they have to write another essay describing a time when they did not share something with someone else, and then imagine what the outcome would have been had they chosen to share on that occasion. A second activity for a 5th grade classroom would be to use this book to launch a class service project. The class could discuss how every person has something they can give to someone else, even it is just time or a positive attitude. The class could brainstorm possible service projects at the school, eventually vote to pick a project, and then carry-out that service project over a quarter or semester of the school year. The project could conclude with a class presentation of the results of the project that they share with an audience (parents, another class, school staff, etc.).
Written at a 5th grade reading level, but with an interest level for students as young as kindergarten, The Quiltmaker’s Gift’s incredibly beautiful and intricate pictures and it’s engaging story make it a great read-aloud book for younger students and a great independent reading book for older students. The story provides a great life lesson about the joy that can be found in giving to others. It’s use of magical realism and fantasy will draw-in readers, as will its occasional silliness and fun – like when the soldiers marched to the quiltmaker’s house in their pajamas at the king’s order.
The life lesson that is taught in the story, as well as the moral question raised about the rightness of one person having so many luxuries while others do not have blankets to keep warm, offer great opportunities for student self-reflection, building classroom community, and for having rich classroom discussions. In a 5th grade classroom, after reading the book as a class and reflecting on the main life lesson and moral question raised by the book, the students could be given an individual assignment in which they answer two questions making text-to-self connections. First, they have to write an essay response in which they describe a time that they have shared something they had with someone else and it made them feel good. Second, they have to write another essay describing a time when they did not share something with someone else, and then imagine what the outcome would have been had they chosen to share on that occasion. A second activity for a 5th grade classroom would be to use this book to launch a class service project. The class could discuss how every person has something they can give to someone else, even it is just time or a positive attitude. The class could brainstorm possible service projects at the school, eventually vote to pick a project, and then carry-out that service project over a quarter or semester of the school year. The project could conclude with a class presentation of the results of the project that they share with an audience (parents, another class, school staff, etc.).
August 21, 2019
This is such a beautiful story about a generous quiltmaker who makes glorious quilts by day and gives them away to the downtrodden by night. A greedy and unhappy king comes to demand a quilt as the one thing that might make him happy. The quiltmaker says she will make him one only if he gives everything away. Finally, he starts giving away his treasures and finds that he can bring joy to others, and so finally be truly happy. And she makes him a quilt. And they both spend their days giving to others. This is our current go to book before bed. Beautiful watercolor illustrations also.
February 18, 2018
Truly an amazing book that I wish I could read with every child in the world that is older than 5-years-old and can therefore feel empathy. My 5-year-old son actually had tears in his eyes when we discussed poverty and how important it is to SEE beyond where we live in an affluent area of California. Beautiful colors and quilt patterns.
December 25, 2022
در ستایش بخشندگی
انقدر تصاویر این کتاب پر جزییات و چشمنواز بودن که باید نسخه فیزیکیش رو بگیرم حتما.
انقدر تصاویر این کتاب پر جزییات و چشمنواز بودن که باید نسخه فیزیکیش رو بگیرم حتما.
July 16, 2020
Παίζει να είμαστε το μοναδικό σπίτι με παιδιά που δεν έχει αυτό το βιβλίο. Η εικονογράφηση υπέροχη, δε λέω, αλλά έλεος κάπου με αυτή την βεβιασμένη ενσυναίσθηση. Τα βιβλία πρέπει να σε κάνουν να περνάς καλά, όχι απλώς να διδάσκουν το καλό!!!
March 18, 2025
Maybe one of the best children's faith based books I've ever read for any of you looking for kids books. I read a lot of kids books every week, so I wasn't prepared for how much this book impressed me. The art, and the story was incredible and I felt like I learned more from this book than my kids did
December 27, 2020
A children’s book with a fantastic moral and gorgeous illustrations!
March 11, 2010
The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau, with pictures by Gail deMarken
One summer, when I was a little girl...in fact, I was just about your age...I spent a tremendous amount of time exploring in my grandmother's attic. It was while I was up there, poking around in the dust and the must, that I found this quilt. [unfold:] I was amazed at how beautiful it was...
When I asked my grandmother about the quilt, she said she had received it as a gift from her grandmother, who received it as a gift from her grandmother, who received it as a gift from her grandmother...well, you get the picture. Anyway, this quilt is very old, but yet, it does not appear to be very old...the colors are just as vibrant as the day the quiltmaker made her very last stitch.
In the fable of The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau, we learn about the quiltmaker and how she sewed day after day to make the prettiest quilts anyone had ever seen.
Many people climbed her mountain, pockets bursting with gold, hoping to buy one of the wonderful quilts. But the woman would not sell them.
"I give my quilts to those who are poor or homeless," she told all who knocked on her door. "They are not for the rich."
Well, sure enough, there was a greedy king, who had just about everything. So many, many things that the king kept a list of all the lists of things he owned.
And yet with all these marvelous treasures to enjoy, the king never smiled. He was not happy at all.
"Somewhere there must be one beautiful thing that will finally make me happy," he was often heard to say. "And I will have it!"
When the king caught word of news about a magical quiltmaker who lived in the mountains, making quilts for the poor and needy, he demanded, "I want one of those quilts! It might be the one thing that will finally make me happy."
Will the quiltmaker honor the wishes of the king and present him with quilt, or will she be true to herself and continue to give her quilts as gifts to the poor and homeless?
Find out if the king will pay the price she asks, in The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau!
One summer, when I was a little girl...in fact, I was just about your age...I spent a tremendous amount of time exploring in my grandmother's attic. It was while I was up there, poking around in the dust and the must, that I found this quilt. [unfold:] I was amazed at how beautiful it was...
When I asked my grandmother about the quilt, she said she had received it as a gift from her grandmother, who received it as a gift from her grandmother, who received it as a gift from her grandmother...well, you get the picture. Anyway, this quilt is very old, but yet, it does not appear to be very old...the colors are just as vibrant as the day the quiltmaker made her very last stitch.
In the fable of The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau, we learn about the quiltmaker and how she sewed day after day to make the prettiest quilts anyone had ever seen.
Many people climbed her mountain, pockets bursting with gold, hoping to buy one of the wonderful quilts. But the woman would not sell them.
"I give my quilts to those who are poor or homeless," she told all who knocked on her door. "They are not for the rich."
Well, sure enough, there was a greedy king, who had just about everything. So many, many things that the king kept a list of all the lists of things he owned.
And yet with all these marvelous treasures to enjoy, the king never smiled. He was not happy at all.
"Somewhere there must be one beautiful thing that will finally make me happy," he was often heard to say. "And I will have it!"
When the king caught word of news about a magical quiltmaker who lived in the mountains, making quilts for the poor and needy, he demanded, "I want one of those quilts! It might be the one thing that will finally make me happy."
Will the quiltmaker honor the wishes of the king and present him with quilt, or will she be true to herself and continue to give her quilts as gifts to the poor and homeless?
Find out if the king will pay the price she asks, in The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau!
March 29, 2014
There is a grandmother that lives in a small house in the misty mountains. She creates wonderful quilts that she gives out to the poor on cold nights. Many rich patrons try to buy her quilts, but she does not take their money and only creates her quilts for the poor. The kingdoms greedy king wants everyone to bring him presents throughout the year, not only on his birthday. He had so many presents; his whole castle was filled with them. He commands the old grandmother to gift him one of her quilts, but she refuses. The king is very upset and puts her in a bear’s den, among other things. Each time, the grandmother survives and enchants her “captors.” The grandmother tells the king that she will make him a quilt if he gives his treasures to the people in need. She will sow one square on the quilt for each treasure he gives away. At first, the king is not happy to part with his beloved items. By the end, he happily distributes his items to his people and receives his gift from the grandmother. The illustrations were wonderful and very detailed. This book also depicts different emotions from the grandmother, the king, and many other characters in the book. I would use this book for a morning meeting mini lesson about sharing. It is important that students in the classroom create a community of learners that share their materials and their knowledge. This book is a great way to teach students about sharing and expressing their emotions!
October 19, 2010
The illustrations of this book far exceed the predictable text. I loved the explosions on color on each page and how the illustrator includes quilt blocks to match the narrative. For example, a Northwind block appears when the Quiltmaker goes into town while it is cold and dark, and Bear Paw illustrates the scene with the bear in the cave. The pictures seem to have an Eastern European flavor, so I was not surprised to find that Gail de Marcken modeled the King on a head she found in a Latvian church or that the Quiltmaker herself was inspired by a cheerful Greek woman.
Postscript: My mother, who was a quilter but now has Alzheimer's, enjoyed looking through this book with me.
Postscript: My mother, who was a quilter but now has Alzheimer's, enjoyed looking through this book with me.
February 22, 2019
This is a simple story about the joy of giving. Not unlike stories told by another storyteller a long time ago except he was a fisherman instead of a quilt maker. The story is simply told so that a child can understand it and be held spellbound by the luscious illustrations on every page. The turning of a page is done with much anticipation and wonder and each page is a story in of itself...as is the King’s quilt. The story of his journey and realization.
March 9, 2020
روزی، روزگاری بالای کوهی سر به فلک کشیده که مهی آبیرنگ همیشه آن را میپوشاند، کلبهای کوچک بود. توی این کلبه پیرزنی زندگی میکرد که سالهای سال، کارش دوختن لحافهای زیبا بود…
کتاب داستان پیرزنی لحافدوز است که زیباترین لحافهای دنیا را میدوزد و به فقرا میبخشد. روزی پادشاه طمعکار که تمام زیباییهای دنیا را برای خود میخواهد، تصمیم میگیرد یکی از زیباترین لحافهای پیرزن را از آنِ خود کند؛ اما با مخالفت پیرزن روبهرو میشود. او برای رسیدن به لحاف، مجبور میشود شرط پیرزن را به جا آورد.
کتاب داستان پیرزنی لحافدوز است که زیباترین لحافهای دنیا را میدوزد و به فقرا میبخشد. روزی پادشاه طمعکار که تمام زیباییهای دنیا را برای خود میخواهد، تصمیم میگیرد یکی از زیباترین لحافهای پیرزن را از آنِ خود کند؛ اما با مخالفت پیرزن روبهرو میشود. او برای رسیدن به لحاف، مجبور میشود شرط پیرزن را به جا آورد.
October 17, 2011
How can you truly be happy? Does having many things make a person happy? The king thinks having a quilt made by the quilt maker will make him happy, but she only gives her quilts to the poor and needy. Can the king force her to give him a quilt?
June 8, 2010
this is a joy to read and a true classic.
June 24, 2014
Quite a nice little picture book with an excellent message on the joy of giving.
January 25, 2014
What a lovely book about the joy of giving and kindness. <3 Beautiful illustrations, too!
June 16, 2014
I have found a new treasure among children's books!
December 24, 2014
Jake rates this book 3 stars. Ellie rates it 3 1/2 stars. Mom rates it 5 stars.
December 26, 2017
This was my favorite of the two Quiltmaker books when my mother and I used to read them. A beautiful story of how a greedy life was transformed into a giving heart.
March 5, 2019
Stunning illustrations and even more beautiful message about generosity & happiness.
June 11, 2019
Mommy read this to Lila. "This is a wonderful story" - Lila, age 5. Mommy enjoyed the story as well and the illustrations were beautiful!
January 27, 2020
Way too long to use as a group read aloud, this book nonetheless would make a great one-on-one read aloud. The illustrations are gorgeous and the message is uplifting.
July 14, 2023
داستان منسجم و آموزنده، تصویرسازیهای جذاب و قابل تصور، نقاشیهای بینهایت زیبا و بامزه. عالی، واقعا عالی.
October 25, 2024
Amy C. Williams’ devotion this morning on the rich young man from Matthew 19 put me in mind of this beautiful book I read over and over during my childhood, and I decided it was a good day for a reread.
Aside from the exquisite illustrations, the story gives a picture of what would have happened had the rich man said yes to Jesus’s demands, and traded all his worldly wealth for something far better. What a tapestry awaits us on the other side, when we finally trade everything this world has to offer for eternity with the Creator. How much better might our life be here, despite the hardships, if we start that process this side of heaven?
I think about all the toil and trouble I go through to get money to get stuff, and yeah, survival is important, and you need some stuff to survive, but I have to be careful that my focus is on the right things—on Him. I want to create for Him, and trust Him to sort out the rest of it.
Aside from the exquisite illustrations, the story gives a picture of what would have happened had the rich man said yes to Jesus’s demands, and traded all his worldly wealth for something far better. What a tapestry awaits us on the other side, when we finally trade everything this world has to offer for eternity with the Creator. How much better might our life be here, despite the hardships, if we start that process this side of heaven?
I think about all the toil and trouble I go through to get money to get stuff, and yeah, survival is important, and you need some stuff to survive, but I have to be careful that my focus is on the right things—on Him. I want to create for Him, and trust Him to sort out the rest of it.
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