Jeff Brumbeau

Gorgeous pictures. If my eyes were stronger I would have spent at least an hour examining all the details in them. I certainly did enjoy the larger ones, for example the soldiers in their pajamas. And I could see some of the little stories in the panels, for example when the king spends a sleepless fretful night because 'although [he] was very good at being greedy, he was very bad at being mean.' Yes of course this is a fable with a lesson, but it's effective and charming, not preachy.

The Quilt Maker’s Journey tells a beautiful story of generosity and finding happiness.
A girl who lived in a walled city had everything. She lived a charmed life with more riches than she knew what to do with. But with all of her fortune, she still was not happy. After traveling outside the walls that confined her, she found that many were not as fortunate as her. By helping those in need, she finds the happiness and purpose she had been craving.
I thought this was such a charming story. I show more love the fairytale-like wonder that’s portrayed in this book. The vivid pops of color make the illustrations so captivating as well. The moral of the story is thoughtfully conveyed in a way that would be easy for children to understand. Although it is for children, I think adults can learn a strong lesson from the story as well: you don’t have to be rich to be a generous or caring person. Truly a lovely book! show less

This is the story of a quiltmaker who lived high on the top of a mountain and made quilts for the people in need. As a young girl she lived in a walled town where everyone was rich and had everything they could ever need. When her parents died, she was given the family money and home and she lived a good life. But they money did not make her happy, and all she wanted was something that would make her happy. One day she did what she was told to never do, and she went outside of the walls that show more surrounded the city. She saw the poverty that was surrounding their walled town, and all of the people who had nothing at all. She did not think this was right and she decided to leave her rich life and try to help those in need in any way that she could. She made quilts for those in need, and when she needed anything nature and good people provided it for her. One theme in the book would be oblivious and detached. The quiltmaker lived a life not knowing what poor was and that people lived different lifestyles than her. This book would be a great book to expose to kids about how everyone is different and lives different lives. Sometimes we don’t know what people do and do not have and we need to make an effort not to judge others for the life they live, but to help people in need. show less

I first read this book with my daughter, maybe 10 years ago. I promptly bought copies for everyone I could think of, every time one of the children in the neighborhood had a birthday. Rereading it this morning I am still stunned by it. A good moment to meditate on the essential truth that things won't make me happy. What sends me over the moon is when I get a chance to help someone, thanks to my quirky gifts.