cover image THE MOON QUILT

THE MOON QUILT

Sunny Warner, THE MOON QUILTSunny Warner

An elderly woman stitches the fabric of her life—past and present—into a quilt in Warner's (The Magic Sewing Machine) reflective, sophisticated story. As the moon waxes and wanes, the woman (whose eyes are closed only when her beloved cat's eyes are open, and vice versa) dreams "of her old man, who was lost at sea." She envisions him on his fishing boat, sailing through the sky on a rainbow, growing younger as he approaches the moon. After "sewing her dream into the design" of her quilt, the woman plants pumpkin seeds in anticipation of Halloween; a visit from trick-or-treaters, her own portrait and her pet's make it into her quilt as well. Elements of each spread further the quilting metaphor: fabric prints define the hills, shrubs and sidewalks around the woman's house, and perceptive children will revel in identifying objects and patterns seen on previous pages in the cleverly composed quilt (lilies from her garden, swatches of her kitchen curtains). In November, "glad to rest," the woman and feline sit outdoors beneath the moon and for the first time both of them close their eyes. A final turn of the page reveals that they have joined the woman's husband: a young couple on the deck of a fishing boat rides a rainbow. Youngsters may need some guidance through this symbolic tale, but will likely find the journey rewarding, and quilters of all ages will certainly cotton to it. Ages 6-10. (Mar.)