Story Quilts: Appalachian Women Speak

The creators pay tribute to Appalachian women who told stories through quilts with this visually arresting picture book, which intersperses facts about day-to-day life alongside an introduction to the craft. Writing in the third person, Hitchcock reveals the way, though “many... couldn’t read or write,” generations “turned scraps into quilts that told stories,” recording experiences by sewing intricate pictures—with nature as frequent inspiration—into squares of fabric: “The scraps from/ a white pillowcase/ might remind her/ of wispy clouds.” Made of clay, fabric, paper, and wire, Page’s mixed-media collages provide an appealing dimensionality, imbuing the quilts—and the intergenerational figures of various skin tones portrayed throughout—with an appropriately homemade quality. Author and illustrator notes conclude. Ages 7–11. (Sept.)