Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson

Himself a descendent of plantation slaves, the artist brings both dignity and realism to his work. And Crab Cakes Later ) paintings here are among his finest: more lifelike and accessible than in some earlier books, the full-page, borderless oils exude an extraordinary warmth and humanity that lend credibility to the story. (The concluding flashback, a denouement explaining how the quilt may help others only slightly interrupts the fluid narrative line.) Ransome's ( Aunt Flossie's Hats. Clara is indeed reunited with her mother (``her eyes just like I remembered, her arms strong around me'') in a chronicle made all the more touching for being rooted in fact. Becoming proficient in her sewing, she begins in her off hours to put together a map-quilt, stitching in any information she can glean from overheard conversations about an escape route to Canada. Like most slaves, Clara longs for freedom and, in her case, yearns to be reunited with her mother. When the rigors of cotton-field labor overwhelm Clara, a kindly woman she calls Aunt Rachel trains the girl to be a seamstress in the main house. James currently lives in Poughkeepsie, New York, with his wife, Lesa, their two daughters, and their Dalmatian, Clinton.A compelling story about an African American girl's escape from slavery on a Southern plantation brings power and substance to this noteworthy picture book. One of James's paintings is in the Charlotte (North Carolina) Public Library's permanent children's book art collection. His illustrations also appear on book jackets, greeting cards, puzzles and shopping bags, as well as in magazines and calendars. Currently a member of the Society of Illustrators, James has illustrated numerous books for children, including Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt and Freedom's Fruit. After graduation, James continued to study painting at the Art Students League where his entry into the Society of Illustrators Annual Student Scholarship Competition received the Jellybean award. While still a student at Pratt, James was one of twelve finalists out of two thousand selected to illustrate the annual Citibank calendar. Born in North Carolina, James Ransome is a graduate of the Pratt Institute with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in illustration.

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson