Cassie's Word Quilt

Rating:
Summary: Cassie's Word Quilt
Review: "Cassie's Word Quilt" provides an introduction to the well-loved world created by Faith Ringgold in "Tar Beach". It uses the motif of quilts to break up the page into grids into which familiar objects are portrayed and labeled. It is as though we sat with Cassie on her quilt on Tar Beach and pointed out various objects in her world while she named them and told us how they fit in the mosaic that, when completed, describes the world of her home and neighborhood. "Cassie's Word Quilt" has more value as a companion to "Tar Beach" than a stand alone because it lacks a narrative thread. Faith Ringgold's powerful illustrative style effectively conveys the sights, sounds, and flavor of Cassie's Tar Beach neighborhood.

Rating:
Summary: Colorful and educational
Review: "Cassie's Word Quilt," by Faith Ringgold, uses words and pictures to take us into the world of Cassie, an urban African-American girl who "dreams she can fly among the stars." We visit Tar Beach (the rooftop sundeck), Cassie's apartment, the neighborhood park, and her multiethnic classroom. Along the way, many items are pictured and labeled: dog, radio, lamp, teacup, sofa, flowers, etc. "Cassie's Word Quilt" thus has educational value for newer readers. Ringgold's artwork is colorful and fun.