THE PATCHWORK QUILT, written by Valerie Flournoy and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney is the story of three generations and quilt they make together.  Grandma feels sad that the tradition of patchwork quilts, passed on to her by her mother, seems to be ending with her.  Her own daughter, Mama, doesnt appear to have the time or interest in it.  But when her granddaughter Tanya begins to inquire, Grandma begins work on a new masterpiece.  She shows Tanya how a little bit of each person; a little part of their lives, make the patchwork quilt what it is.  Mama begins to see the value and the three work together to create the magic.  When Grandma falls ill, Tanya and Mama work together.  When Grandma has recuperated, the family gathers to admire the quilt and recall the memories sewn into it.

Flournoy tells this familys tale with sincerity.  Mama is reluctant at first, but the quilt brings the family together.  The story delves into the tradition of the patchwork quilt in African American culture.  She explores the way that the quilt is so much more than just a blanket; it is a way to stay connected with your past, to remember lives.  It is a story of the viability of the older generation.  Grandma may be old, but she is still contributing.  As Flournoy states, Even though her patch was old, it fit right in.

Jerry Pinkneys illustrations capture the essence of the story in their representations of the family.  He uses pencil lines and watercolors to softly bring the story to life.  His faces are believable, their expressions varied.  He shows the family with all of their different hairstyles, pigtailed, straightened, natural, and cornrowed.  He shows the subtle differences in the faces of the family, their features as well as their skin tones.  Pinkney uses his paintbrush to great effect, with color in the foreground, where the action is, and the background seeming to fade away, sometimes to simple line drawings.

Together the text and the illustration of THE PATCHWORK QUILT provide a glimpse at an African American family living their lives, with holidays and traditions and playing in the snow.  The reader comes away feeling like they should recognize and embrace their own traditions.  THE PATCHWORK QUILT is a winner of the Coretta Scott King Award.