F Is for Friendship: A Quilt Alphabet

In this addition to Sleeping Bear's long-running alphabet series, pleasing rhymes and extensive sidebars focus on the symbolic and utilitarian value of patchwork quilts, while glowing illustrations depict both intimate and communal scenes. Under the gaze of her grandmother's portrait, a child observes her mother at work: "G is for Generations/ She loved to quilt and then taught me/ its comfort, skill, and artistry." A depiction of the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt on the National Mall (for "N") emphasizes the power of quilts to connect and heal ("What weighs 54 tons, got nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, and is the world's largest community art project?"). A sensitive and uplifting homage. Ages 6%E2%80%9310. (Mar.)