Clara and theFreedom Quilt

By Kindra McQuillanBased on the book by Deborah Hopkinson

Clara is eleven years old. She works every day for the Orange family. Clara is sad. She is a slave.

She can't see her family. She has to work for the Orange family and do as they say.

Aunt Rachel is another slave for the Orange family. She is kind to Clara. She teaches Clara to sew.

One day, the Orange father sees that Clara can sew very well. He sends her to the Big house to

be a seamstress.

Clara is a good listener. She hears other slaves in the Big house telling important secrets.

They talk about the North, where there are no slaves. If they can get to the North, they can be free.

But it is difficult to get to the North. First they have to escape from their houses, and then they must travel at night and hide in

safe places during the day.

The safe places are difficult to find. The trip is very long. Clara listens to the stories of the slaves and she learns about many places.

While she listens, she sews a quilt of many colors and shapes. Clara works on the special quilt for many years.

When Clara finally finishes her quilt, she gives it to Aunt Rachel.

The next day, Clara does not come to work at the Big house. She isn't at the Orange house either. Nobody can find her.

That night, Aunt Rachel shows the quilt to some other slaves.

The quilt is a map!It shows the safe way to the North. Now people can use the

quilt to learn the way North and be free, like Clara.