a 30-year journey

This is a post that spans 30+ years.

Many years ago, when my children were in elementary school, the PTA organized a visit with a children’s author I had never heard of: Patricia Polacco.

From the moment she began speaking, it was evident that she was a storyteller. She drew the children, as well as their parents, into her world. She shared the story of how she had struggled to learn to read, endured teasing, and hid her disability. She found relief in expressing herself through art until a teacher recognized that she could not read and began helping her. Patricia was dyslexic.

She also brought a very special prop with her: an old quilt made from a basket of clothing belonging to family members who had immigrated from Russia many years earlier. Patricia was the fourth generation to care for this quilt.

That quilt became the inspiration for one of Patricia Polacco’s first books, The Keeping Quilt:

“And so it was. From a basket of old clothes, Anna’s babushka, Uncle Vladimir’s shirt, Aunt Havalah’s nightdress and an apron of Aunt Natasha’s become The Keeping Quilt, passed along from mother to daughter for almost a century. For four generations the quilt is a Sabbath tablecloth, a wedding canopy, and a blanket that welcomes babies warmly into the world…”

The book tells the story of Patricia’s own family and the quilt that became a symbol of their enduring love, family, and faith.

I bought the book that day, and Patricia signed it and addressed it to my children. As she published more books, I bought those, too. I read them to my children, and over the years, my collection grew and I have kept all of them.

Years later, when I was taking classes for my Master's Education, one of my required courses was Children’s Literature. For my final teaching presentation, I chose Patricia Polacco and focused on the way she wove her family, heritage, life experiences, and art into her stories. I even brought my autographed copy of The Keeping Quilt to share with the class.

During that Children’s Literature course, my professor told us about the Mazza Museum, located on the University of Findlay campus in Findlay, Ohio. The museum houses the world’s largest collection of original artwork by children’s book illustrators.

Fast-forward several years.

My husband grew up in Findlay, and recently, on our way to Coldwater Lake, we needed to stop there so Todd could take care of a project he’s working on with friends. I took the opportunity to take the car and visit the Mazza Museum.

And there it was.

The original artwork from The Keeping Quilt and the Keeping Quilt itself.

After more than 30 years, I stood in front of the quilt that had been part of a story that began when my children were little. A book I had bought for them. A book signed by the author. And now, an original piece of that story hanging in a museum in the town where my husband grew up.

I also got to see original illustrations from many other beloved books I had read to my children over the years.

It was one of those unexpected full-circle moments that made me stop and appreciate how life threads connect.

A children’s author I had never heard of became part of my children’s childhood, then part of my education, and now I look forward to reading her books to my grandchildren.