Peaceful Pieces: Poems and Quilts About Peace - Hardcover

Hines, Anna Grossnickle

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0805089969 ISBN 13: 9780805089967

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 2011

Synopsis

In this evocative collection of poems illustrated by beautiful handmade quilts, Anna Grossnickle Hines explores peace in all its various and sometimes surprising forms: from peace at home to peace on a worldwide scale to peace within oneself. Pondering the meaning of peace and its fleeting nature, this book compels each of us to discover and act upon peace ourselves.

About this title

About the Author

Anna Grossnickle Hines has written and illustrated many highly acclaimed books for children, including 1, 2, 3 Buckle My Shoe; Winter Lights: A Season in Poems and Quilts; and Pieces: A Year in Poems and Quilts. She lives with her family in Gualala, California.

From the Inside Flap

Will peace come with drums?

Be heralded by trumpets?

prance in waving red

and gold banners?

Will peace make

a great noisy show?

In this evocative collection of poems illustrated with stunning handmade quilts, anna Grossnickle Hines describes peace in all its various and sometimes surprising forms at home, on a worldwide scale, and within oneself. Exploring the meaning of peace and its fleeting nature, this book compels each of us to discover and act upon peace ourselves.

Reviews

Gr 1-5-Using exquisitely detailed handmade quilts as a backdrop, Hines's poems explore the overarching themes of peace, understanding, tolerance, and friendship. The diverse selections illustrate the ways in which peace relates to everyday life and are presented in a variety of formats and contexts. For example, one poem is told from the perspective of a child whose father came back from war a changed man. Another uses the game of dominoes as a metaphor for the idea that human beings influence one another in far-reaching ways. The quilts that accompany the selections serve to expand upon their themes and create an interesting contrast to the text. Children will be fascinated by the painstakingly intricate stitching, bold colors, and poignant imagery. In an author's note, Hines describes her writing and quilt-making processes. Mini-biographies of eight influential peacemakers, including Mother Teresa and Gandhi, are included. This book would be perfect for reading aloud and also appropriate for independent reading by poetry-loving children. Because of its unique presentation and breadth of subjects, Peaceful Pieces would be a good companion to Vladimir Radunsky's What Does Peace Feel Like? (S & S, 2004). While some of the poems are more moving than others, the collection as a whole underscores the importance of people finding common ground despite their differences.-Rita Meade, Brooklyn Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

*Starred Review* In Pieces: A Year in Poems & Quilts (2001), Hines took her books in a new direction, creating quilts to illustrate poems written around a central theme. Her newest jewel-bright offering showcases 28 short poems about peace, a broad concept interpreted here in varied ways. The narrative poems wind their way to the central point, while the haiku and acrostics are brief and pithy. The most effective pieces are the most specific and personal, even when their connection to peace seems, at first, oblique. Several poems interpret the theme in ways that speak directly to a child’s experience, while others reflect a broader view. The most striking aspect of the book is its quilted, pieced-cloth artwork, and the borderless pages allow maximum impact for Hines’ bold, expressive visual statements. Two of the spreads are composed mainly in black and white, while, in others, colors, patterns, and stitched lines create a rich variety of effects, from scenes evoking a surprising illusion of depth to bold images that seem to rise from their backgrounds. In the closing pages, Hines comments on the process of quilting and identifies the eight peacemakers photographically represented in one of the illustrations. A beautiful poetry book on an ever-relevant theme. Grades 2-5. --Carolyn Phelan

Edition details

• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0805089969
• ISBN 13: 9780805089967
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Hines Anna Grossnickle