THE QUILT OF OUR MEMORIES

A rich tapestry of family identity is passed down through an heirloom quilt.

It all begins with the narrator’s great-great-grandmother, who starts a quilting project with the idea that each woman in the family would add a square featuring a meaningful image that reflects her personality or passions. The blanket travels through time and place as the story unfolds, introducing the women and their contributions: a beloved pet dog for the narrator’s great-grandmother, a pink seashell for a beachcombing grandmother, tomatoes for Aunt Lia, who loves to garden, and a clay pot for the narrator’s mother, a ceramic artist. Readers eventually learn that the narrator is Mateo, his mother’s only child and the next in line to inherit the quilt. Eager to include him in the tradition, his mother encourages him to sew his own square. Mateo chooses to stitch a picture of his baby daughter, leaving a blank spot beside it for her future contribution. A new tradition is born, one that allows the family to embrace change while still paying tribute to the past. Lushly textured artwork echoes the artistry of the quilt itself, adding depth and energy to each page. An illustrated family tree helps readers trace the lineage of the quilters leading up to Mateo and beyond. Acevedo’s tender story, translated from Spanish, celebrates the evolving nature of familial customs and the powerful ways we honor our heritage. Mateo and his family are pale-skinned.

A poignant generational story of legacy, creativity, and the ways traditions grow.