With a poet's keen ear, Tonya Hegamin tells the account of a little girl whose mother is a secret agent on the Underground Railroad. Before sending her daughter north to freedom, the mother sews a quilt for her daughter, not only to guide her with its symbols of moss and the north star, but also to remind her always that the smiling girl in the centre of the quilt is 'most loved in all the world'. This title is strikingly illustrated in unique textile collaging and expressive acrylic paintings.

 

This book is the winner of numerous awards. It was recognised by the Christopher Award. It was recognised in the New Writer category by the Ezra Jack Keats Book Award. The EJK Award is given annually to an outstanding new writer and new illustrator by the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation. An Honor Books category was added in 2012. A distinguished selection committee of early childhood education specialists, librarians, illustrators and experts in childrens literature reviews the entries, seeking books that portray the universal qualities of childhood, a strong and supportive family, and the multicultural nature of our world. The EJK Award was co-presented by the New York Public Library from 1986 to 2011. Since 2012, the de Grummond Childrens Literature Collection has co-presented the award at the Childrens Book Festival, held in April at the University of Southern Mississippi, in Hattiesburg. To be eligible, writers and illustrators must have had no more than three books previously published. It also was recognised in the Picture Book category by the Beehive Award.

There are 40 pages in this book. This is a picture book. A picture book uses pictures and text to tell the story. The number of words varies from zero ('wordless') to around 1k over 32 pages. Picture books are typically aimed at young readers (age 3-6) but can also be aimed at older children (7+). This book was published 2009 by Houghton Mifflin .

Tonya Cherie Hegamin decided that she would be a writer when she was eight years old. Between then and now, she has also been a social worker, an educator, a vintage clothing vendor, a vegan soul food caterer, and the program director of a poetry retreat. Tonya is a graduate of Cave Canem and a native of Pennsylvania.