This story for readers age 4 and up is based on the author’s real life. She reports in an Afterword that she has been contributing to community quilts with friends since 2008 in a Norwalk, Connecticut group calling itself “Peace by Piece.” She maintains that “a community quilt is a metaphor, showing that good things happen when many come together as one.”

The book provides lots of information about basic quilting, including a guide to classic quilt blocks, and features beautiful collage illustrations by the author. The quilters shown are of all ages and races, with children participating in the same way as adults. ( )

A gentle, lovely story based on the author's own experience making community quilts with Peace by Piece: The Norwalk Community Quilt Project.

A diverse group of kids and adults come together weekly at the community center to make a quilt. So many people have helped make it - but who will get to keep it? "Everyone will have it! It hangs in the library for all to see."

Back matter includes more information about Peace by Piece and a photo of some of the quilters and their quilts; there's also a page of classic quilt blocks (bowtie, rail fence, flying geese, pinwheel, nine patch, churn dash, friendship star, shoo fly, split nine patch). This really lends itself to an arts-and-crafts project after a storytime! ( )