The Promise Quilt

Grade 2-4-Addie's father promises her that when she is older, he'll send her to school. Then he goes off to war, serving as a guide to General Lee, and never returns. Addie, her mother, and her brother struggle to survive in the war-ravaged South, with only Papa's red flannel shirt to comfort them. When the time comes for Addie to go to school, she is dismayed to learn that the school has no supplies. Mama decides to make a quilt to raffle off and Addie gives up her father's shirt when her mother needs more fabric to complete it. The proceeds from the raffle are used to buy books and other materials, and Addie believes that Papa, in his own way, has kept his promise. This realistic tale, told from the point of view of a Southerner, is very touching. Like the pieces of the quilt, historical details are seamlessly interwoven in the story, bringing to life a very troubled time. Themes of resiliency, sacrifice, and hard work rewarded are gracefully woven into the narrative. Detailed illustrations give the flavor of the times with soft pastels complementing the tone of the story. Use this book with Patricia Polacco's Pink and Say (Philomel, 1994) as supplementary picture-book material for Civil War units, or use it alone as a good story of a family's values.
Anne Knickerbocker, Cedar Brook Elementary School, Houston, TX
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