The Quilt (Alida Series)

The Quilt is by Gary Paulsen, and it is about a boy who lives with his grandmother named Alida. The boy lived with his grandmother because when he was born, a week later his father left to fight in World War II. His mother lived with him in front of a railroad station and his mother started to see

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different men and drink at a local bar a lot. The boy didn't like what his mother was doing, so he moved with his grandmother. In the start of the story, he and grandma go to stay with their relative Kristina. His grandma wants to help in Kristina's farm because Kristina is going to have her baby anytime, and her husband had to fight in the war. The day after they get there, Kristina's water broke; Alida calls her friends and family to help Kristina. The friends and family bring lots of baby supply to the house for the new baby boy. At the end of the day, all of the relatives take out a quilt and start putting new patches on the quilt. The boy tells his grandma what is the quilt is for, and she said that it has all of the family members who passed away in the family. The next day someone comes to the house and tells Kristina that her husband died at war. Kristina cries but Alida tells her that she should be strong and to keeping working hard for her newly born son that she named after the husband.

The Quilt is a very nice book. It is about this family that has husbands fighting in the war. They are fighting for their freedom for their country. And I would love to read the first two books of this series. I would give this book to someone who loves to read about family and friendship. It is one of the books that you would never put down until you finish the whole book. I hope they have the rest of the series in the library.

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A retelling of Paulsen's personal history. The main action center around a neighbor woman giving birth yet the main character is a 6 year old boy. I found this interesting but I can't imagine any modern child who would. Boys wouldn't read about childbirth and girls would rather have another girl as

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the main character. Yet the story itself gives a good look at life in rural northern Minnesota during WWII and portrays interesting images. With gas rationing and many men off to war, the women need to work hard to survive and the only local vehicle (owned by an elderly neighbor) runs pretty erratically. Farm chores, new for this city-raised boy, are learned. The quilt of the title is one added to over the years by the community to hold the memory of each individual when they die As women gather to help during the birth they tell the stories of some of the patches.

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During World War II a young boy lives for a time with his grandmother in northern Minnesota. Most of the narrative takes place on a farm, where the boy learns about animals, chores, and experiences new life as well as loss. Very touching.

In this third installment, the story goes back to a time when the boy was six. He goes to spend the summer with his grandmother in northern Minnesota. It isn't long until she receives a call from an expectant mother who needs help on the farm. The boy and grandmother soon arrive where he meets farm

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animals galore. His grandmother calls in other women. He hears a very scary sound as the birth pangs begin. As the women sit in the kitchen, they bring out a quilt and share stories of those who passed. Before the story ends, the women will need to sew another square on the quilt. It's a touching story--a tribute to the author's own grandmother.

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