book bonanza – the quiltmaker’s gift

Jan 5, 2010

I adore books. I treasure them. I collect them. I love, love, love to share them with others. I have done a few book spotlights on here, but not as many as I would like…mostly because I haven’t had a central theme for them. I want my book spotlights to have a name and I haven’t been able to think of one…yet.

I am going to try out “Book Bonanza.” Bonanza means “A rich mine, vein, or pocket of ore. A source of great wealth or prosperity.” Isn’t that exactly what a great book is?

So, here is my first official Book Bonanza.

The Quiltmaker’s Gift is one of our favorite books. We love it for many reasons: beautiful artwork, fabulous storyline, teaching of morals, and powerful lessons.

The story is about a selfish king who demands gifts be brought to him for his birthday twice a year. He has lists of lists of lists of stuff he owns and none of it brings him joy. He hears about a quiltmaker who makes beautiful creations and sends an army to get one of her quilts because surely that will bring him joy…right? And thus starts his journey to true happiness as he learns that giving and serving are what make our hearts sing.

I have been reading this book to Blythe since she was about two or three (we love the prequel The Quiltmaker’s Journey just as much) and over the years she has given away many of her favorite things just as she learned from these pages. At times, I have had to stop myself from trying to talk her out of giving something really precious away because I knew why she was doing it and that giving it away would make her the person I hoped she would be instead of someone obsessed with holding on to worldly possessions.

I remember when Blythe was three and four we had an elderly neighbor and Blythe loved walking down the road to her home and taking her presents. Sometimes they would be drawings or flowers, but a few times she picked out a favorite book or a prized necklace to take to her. This dear woman loved Blythe’s little gifts. Once she asked Blythe why she was giving her them and Blythe told her the whole story of the selfish king and how he had to learn from the quiltmaker where happiness comes from. She went on and on and on making sure that her friend understood all about the king and his greedy ways and how when he gave all his things away he was happy through and through.

Truly a book to treasure!