Description

Nelly’s Quilt

Cat’s kindness to newly-hatched Nelly starts a chain, 

in which each character passes an act of kindness on to someone else. 

Nelly’s Quilt – A Story of Kindness

Nelly’s Quilt is a colorful, 32-page, hardbound, children’s picture book about passing kindness on.  Both fun cartoon characters and real photos are illustrations in this book.  It is intended for ages 0-5, but is appropriate for all young children, (and even adults)!  It is book #7 in the 11-book series.

I am writing a picture book series called The Pelican Family Series.  The very first book was The Pelican Family Counting Book.  In that book, the reader counts the pelicans in the story as they fly over the ocean in search of yummy fish.   The other books are stories about the pelicans in the Counting Book.  

My son, Christopher, does the pencil drawings of most all of the characters in the books.  In this new one, I did do 3 drawings.  

Why I Wrote Nelly’s Quilt

I had 3 major objectives when I wrote this story. 

One was to explain why Nelly was smaller than the other pelicans.

When Chris drew the pelicans, he just drew her that way.  But Nelly explains what happened.  She had hatched slightly prematurely.  This happened because of a small earthquake on her island.  The earthquake sent a rock down the hill, and it cracked her shell a little bit before it was really time for her to hatch.  She still hadn’t grown as big as she would have, if she had been in the egg a little longer.

The second objective was to make a story for young children about being kind to others, and passing kindness on.

Because Nelly was smaller than she should have been, she got really cold when she stepped out of her egg shell.  Cat, who is part of almost all of the Pelican stories, saw how she was so cold.   He went to talk to Aunt Meri, who made quilts, and Aunt Marge, who made cookies, at the MeriMar Quilt and Cookie Shop.  (The real Meri makes quilts for Project Linus, which is an organization that gives blankets and quilts to children in need.).   In the book, Aunt Meri gives Cat a small quilt to take back for Nelly.  When Cat asks her how he and Nelly can pay her back, she simply answers, “Just be kind to someone else.” These actions and statement lead to kindnesses being passed on throughout the rest of the story.

The third objective was to use a quilt picture as a border on each page. 

As I thought about the beautiful quilts that Meri was making, I asked her if I could use a photo of one of her quilts as a border for my book pages.  I thought the wonderful designs and colors would make a beautiful book.  I was right!  She said yes I could use her quilt photos.  But even better than that, she sent me a quilt!  

A  Series With a Plan

This is a planned 11-book series.  They do not need to be read in order.  Each one is a stand alone story.  However, throughout the series, I use the same characters, while adding new ones.  Therefore, if you read them all, you will get to know the residents of Beach Town, both human and pelican.  Each book is about something pertaining to early learning that encourages adults and children to talk, and laugh, and enjoy the stories together. 

How to Use Our Books

This series is mainly meant for ages 0-8.  We definitely believe in adults reading to children in a warm, loving, attentive,  interactive manner.  So in that way, even our books with more words and ideas may be appropriate for very young children.  The books can also be used with older children.  If you are a parent with older and younger children, ask the older children to read and talk about our books with the younger children in the family.  Encourage the older child to use lots of expression, and talk about the pictures with the younger child.  Have the children take parts by speaking the dialogue for a character.  Make it a whole family reading session!  Everyone will enjoy it.

I have presented several of these books up into Junior High classes.  If you are a teacher who would like ideas about how to use one of my books in the classroom, contact me at [email protected].  

Series Overview

• The Pelican Family Counting Book is about counting, and tells a little about the ten pelicans.
•  Telly’s Story is about a friendship that develops between two characters who are not at all alike.
•  Kelly and the Scarf is about empathy for another’s feelings.
•  Stelly and the Sticky, Gooey Taffy is about responsibility for one’s actions in a community.
•  Delly and the Beach Town Healthy Alphabet Challenge is about healthy eating for humans.
•  Pelly and Melly — Best Friends is about friendship.
•  Nelly’s Quilt is about passing kindness on.

Books yet to come:

• Z is about dealing with bullying.
• I Can’t is about facing one’s fears and growing confidence.
• Hurry Up, Elly! is about keeping one’s word.  
• Cat’s  Tale — Or What Really Happened!  Is about Cat talking about the pelican’s stories from HIS vantage point.