Woodson, Jacqueline. Show Way. New York: Putnam Juvenile, 2005.Summary
A Show Way is secret map in the form of a quilt used to guide runaway slaves. Author Jacqueline Woodson's ancestors used to sew these Show Ways to show fellow slaves the way to freedom and to help each family member remember the path of her own life. By tracing her mother's side of the family, Woodson then shows how subsequent generations of her family are linked together by figurative threads, and that these figurative threads can also help us remember who we are and what our personal maps are to our dreams.
Impressions
The fact that this book is a family history of the author makes the book much more touching and personal. This book makes history come alive. Also, the subject matter is also interesting- I had never heard of a Show Way Quilt before.
Reviews
Oluonye, Mary N. School Library Journal, Nov2005, Vol. 51 Issue 11, p111. Retrieved October 27, 2010 from Academic Search Premier database.
"K-Gr 5-- Soonie's great-grandma was only seven when she was sold away from her parents in Virginia and sent to South Carolina. All she had was a piece of muslin from her mother, two needles, and bright red thread. She was raised by Big Mama, who cared for the plantation children and at night whispered stories of freedom. Big Mama taught great-grandma how to sew messages and directions into quilt patterns, a Show Way. The quilt-making tradition is passed down through successive generations of women in the family. Finally, readers meet the narrator, who grew up to become a writer and tell the stories of many people's Show Ways. A poignant trail at the end of the book shows eight generations of women and the author's baby painted against the background of quilt patterns. Show Way is a sophisticated book that introduces readers to the passage of time, family traditions, and the significance of quilts and their patterns in African-American history. The gorgeous, multimedia art includes chalk, watercolors, and muslin. An outstanding tribute, perfectly executed in terms of text, design, and illustration."
Kirkus Reviews, 9/15/2005, Vol. 73 Issue 18, p1037. Retrieved October 27, 2010 from Academic Search Premier database.
"Show Ways are quilts with secret meanings--guides to freedom. In this beautiful volume, quilts are the connecting threads of the generations, from Soonie's great-grandmother, sold away from her Virginia home as a girl of seven, to Soonie's great-great-granddaughter Toshi, Woodson's daughter. It's a celebration of mothers--all of those strong women through the generations who "loved those babies up." Gorgeous multimedia art includes watercolors, chalk and fabric, photographs incorporated into original art and joyous watercolor figures jumping broom. Patchwork and crazy quilts are two common motifs used, the latter, with jagged stitching resembling railroad tracks, representing the harshest of times. Whether quilts were actual maps to freedom or such stories are simply folklore, quilts are a perfect device to portray the generations of a family. Like Deborah Hopkinson's Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt (1993) and Under the Quilt of Night (2001) and Doreen Rappaport's Freedom River (2000), this takes a difficult subject and makes it accessible to young readers. One of the most remarkable books of the year. (Picture book 5+)"
Suggestions for Library Use
Combined with other picture books about slavery, the underground railroad, and maybe even a biography about Harriet Tubman or another famous abolitionist this would make a fantastic storytime about slavery. Paired with books about the Civil War or the South, or an experience of a child in the North during the Civil War (Polacco's January's Sparrow?), or even books about the Civil Rights movements in the 60s, this would make an interesting American History-themed storytime about one topic from different perspectives. For the storytime craft project, I'd provide construction paper and scissors or even just crayons for children to draw their own "Show Ways." They could make up symbols and make a map to their house, a treasure map, etc.
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