Ophelia's Shadow Theatre and the Quiltmaker's Gift

i have beens pending more and more of my time in the workd of chidlren's books. and some of these books are downright beautiful, elegant and sophisticated.



among the favorites right now are The Sea Serpent and me; The Quiltmaker's Gift; and Ophelia's Shadow Theatre.



I have already reviewed The sea Serpent and Me at the Tunkhanock.com/library site (look for Rebecca's Reviews).

Ophelia's Shadow Theatre is by Michael Ende. It's hard to find in this country, as it is originally a German text. Buts omehow or another my local library had a copy of it. Whether they do now or not, I don't know.



Ophelia is the daughter of theatre types. When the book takes place she is an old woman. All of her life Ophelia has had a tiny voice, so while she couldn't be on stage with the other actors and actersses, she was able to sit in the wings and whisper the words to the actors, just in case they forgot. This way she learned all of the great plays by heart.



One day, I don't exactly rememebr how, she comes up on a shadow who has no home. So she offers the shadow the space of her purse to live in. The shadow happily accepts, and before long, more and more shadows who have no homes begin finding their ways into her purse. Shadows are very copact you know, and purses of little old ladies and magnificently large.

So all of these shadows live with her. And at night they do plays on her apartment walls, and Ophelia whispers the lines to the shadows, just in case they forget.



This evolves into the grandest shadow puppetry you could ever imagine. Ophelia and the Shadows become Ophelia's Shadow Theater, and they go arond the country (in a snazzy car witht he words Ophelia's Shadow Theatre emblazoned on the side), doing plays in the park, all the while Ophelia whispered the words.



One day another shadow comes to her. She asks it the usual questions? Don't you have a home.. what's your name, and such.

The shadow responds, My name is Death. Will you still take me in?

Ophelia thinks about it for a moment, and says, I suppose so. It's important to note (for parents and for children) that Ophelia isn't scared, or upset. She is calm, and peaceful.



And so she takes in Death and she passes away.



When she arrives at the gates of heaven, Ophelia is innundated by people waving and cheering her on, kissing and hugging her. Confused, she asks, "Do I know you?"

Then they begin to smile more and more, and the feeling of familiarity grows.

"We are the shadows who had no home, until you."

So together Ophelia and all of the shadows, now angelic beings of light, put on more plays in Heaven. And Ophelia still whispered the lines. Just in case.


The story is beautiful and covers death in a gentle way. Ophelia isn't scared or upset when death comes. She is calm, and peaceful. She makes a decision. There is no mention of the southern realm of fire and brimstone, or even of a deity. Just beauty, light, and being surrounded by those who have loved you, and those you love.

Next is the QuiltMaker's Gift.

This was a book i was given years ago, before we had our little girl. My friend gave it to me because I quilted. The illustrations are very reminiscient of the artist in hallmark stores who does all of the figurines with the quilts. Very rich colors, very intricate, fanciful work. All of the illustrations in this book do the same thing.

The story reads and tells like an old folktale with none of the crunchy rustic quality. Just a lovely story.

The story is this: an old woman who no one can remember her not being arond, even the oldest great great grandfather cannot remember a time when she was not there, lives in a cabin way up high in the misty mountains and makes the most beautiful quilts. Nothing rivals their beauty. But she will not sell them, as much as she's offered or begged. She gives them to the homesless or the poor. Then after she has found someone sleeping out in the cold, and tucked them in udner the quilt, she begins a new quilt the next day.

At the same time, there is a king who is powerful and greedy and loves to receive presents, so much that he has his birthday twice a year. But for all of his lovely things, he is not happy. When he he learns of the quiltmaker, he demands a quilt from her, for it might be the only thig that makes him happy. She refuses. He demands. she refuses. He says fine, and chains her into a bear's den. When the bear wakes up, he'll eat you.

well, the bear does wake up, and he is cranky, but the quiltmaker understands why. "You only have rocks to rest your head on. Go fetch me some pine needles and i'll make you a pillow from my shawl." The bear does, and she makes him a pillow. No one has ever been so kind to the bear, and he is so touched that he breaks her chain, and invites her to stay for breakfast of honey and blueberries.

The king, while powerful and greedy is not good at being mean. so he worried about the quiltmaker all night. when he arrives at the bear's den and comes to their breakfast he is infuritated and orders his royal island makers to make an island just large enough for her to stand on. they do and she is placed on the island in the middle of a vast lake,. "When you fall asleep or the tide comes in, we'll see what happens.."

she is left there, and a small sparrow struggling against the wind takes shelter against her. she makes him a tiny jacket out of her vest. He makes it to the other side, and brings all of his sparrow friends and they fly her away to safety.

the next day, because the king couldn't sleep again for worrying, he finds her in the tree, making tiny jackets for all of the sparrows.

"What must i do to get a quilt?"

"You must give away all of your things and when you yourself are popor, i will have a quilt foryou."

"But i love all my beautiful things."

"But they don't make you happy."

convinced to try, the king scours his palace and finds a tny marble he can give away. while he doesn't smile, the boy who receives it is so excited, it inspires the king to give more and more thigns away until he travels the world, giving all of his precious things away. As he travels and gives, the tiny purple backed sparrows come back and tell the quiltmaker, who then sews in a new piece into the quilt.

Until one day, the last sparrow arrives, and she knows it is time to find the king.

She finds him lying along side the road, reading to a child. his boots worn out, his clothes ragged, but bright smile on his face and cheery laugh at the ready. She tucks him in under his quilt. "I may look poor but my heart is full to bursting with all of the memories and kindness I've given and received. I"m the richest man I know."

a story that tells the truth of altruism, of kindness, of love not being in things but in service to others, the QuiltMakers' Gift is a beautiful story, one worthwile reading to your child.. or to yourself. because we all need to be reminded somedays...