Selina and the Bear Claw Quilt

"When Selina's Mennonite family decides that they must flee to Canada to avoid persecution as the Civil War is about to break out, her grandmother feels she is too old to make the journey and stays behind in Pennsylvania. She gives Selina the bear-paw patterned quilt top she has been piecing together from scraps of fabric, including snippets from her wedding dress. There are many interesting themes in this book such as the Mennonites' refusal to take sides in a violent conflict and the importance of quilts as a social activity and a strong visual link to family history and relationships.... The watercolor illustrations have a sweet romanticized look and often provide closeups of Selina and her grandmother.... The study of quilts is often used to link social studies, math, and art and a multicultural approach to history should certainly include the Mennonites."