My Thoughts

The Barn Quilt, A Christmas Story by author Patti Michels is a lovely children’s book.  With twenty-eight pages it is filled with a delightfully engaging story that is complete with beautiful colorful illustrations.  Even though it is a children’s book, adults will enjoy it, also.

This is the tale of Dennis, who is new to the area.  He visits Miz Patti and Farmer Max and they discuss Quilt Squares that are on barns in the area.  They go through the patterns and meanings looking for the right one for their barn.

Chatting about the first Christmas the friends begin to ponder what quilt block might have been on the stable where Jesus was.  Which one is perfect for that?  That opens the door for even more talk about Christmas.

This is a wonderful book.  It is nice for ages 7 and under.  I found it to include information on Midwestern farming, barn quilts, friends, and faith.  It is a very nice, different type of Christmas book that children will love.

Yes, I recommend this book.  Any “little” would really enjoy it.  It would be an asset to a church or preschool library.  I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.  A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my honest words.

 

About the Book

Book: The Barn Quilt

Author: Patti Michels

Genre:  Children’s Book

Release Date: November 19, 2019

Farmer Max and Miz Patti have a big red barn on their Maple Shade Farm, but one thing is missing—they need a barn quilt. But what pattern should they hang on the side of their barn? The pineapple quilt, or the corn and beans quilt, or what about a quilt with animals on it? None of them are quite right though. Since it’s Christmas, they wonder what barn quilt would have been just right for the stable where Jesus was born. Work along with their neighbor boy, Dennis, as he helps Farmer Max and Miz Patti decide on and make the perfect barn quilt.  

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Patti Michels has lived in the same rural midwestern county her entire life, thirty-nine of those with her husband. She loves designing her family’s Christmas card and working with senior citizens. At the end of a long day, she enjoys returning to the farm and looking out her kitchen window at her own barn quilt. 

 

More from Patti

Believe it or not, the idea for this children’s book started out as a Christmas card.  Each year the Michels family produces their own original Christmas card.  This tradition started out simple, in the early 1980’s, as the Michels’ two small daughters helped with the coloring, cutting, and gluing!

Patti Michels and Max, her farmer husband of 39 years, live on a small farm in Southern Illinois.  The girls have grown and moved on, and the empty-nesters have joined others in their small farm community, in creating a barn quilt to hang on their barn.

While Max was preparing the 36″ X 36″ wood panel for Patti to paint, Patti was drawing and designing and dreaming up the best barn quilt pattern to display on the barn at Maple Shade Farm. As Patti painted their special barn quilt, a Christmas card idea popped into her head. “What if the stable where Jesus was born had a barn quilt?”

Patti feels like ideas are a gift from God, as is her husband, who helps her pull off one after another completed “project”.  Whether it’s feeding cows, baling hay, making Christmas cards, or creating a barn quilt, they continue to work side by side. This book, based on the real life story of creating the barn quilt, gives kids a glimpse into a small farm family life, while also enjoying and celebrating those things that make Christmas so special, like hot chocolate, cookies and God’s love.

Blog Stops

The Power of Words, November 26

Remembrancy, November 26

Reading Is My SuperPower, November 27

For Him and My Family, November 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 28

Older & Smarter?, November 29

Seasons of Opportunities, November 29

Vicky Sluiter, November 30

Sara Jane Jacobs, November 30

Bigreadersite, December 1

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 1

Maureen’s Musings, December 2

Texas Book-aholic, December 2

janicesbookreviews, December 3

A Reader’s Brain, December 3

For the Love of Literature, December 4

Mary Hake, December 4

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, December 5

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 6

Emily Yager, December 6

She Lives to Read, December 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 8

Inklings and notions, December 8

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour Patti is giving away the grand prize of a signed copy of The Barn Quilt, and a $25 gift card from Amazon!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f197/the-barn-quilt-celebration-tour-giveaway