“Hegamin tackles difficult concepts of slavery, courage and sacrifice in [this] poignant book.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“An unflinching depiction of slavery’s impact on families . . . this selection’s reassuring message of love shatters all bonds.”
—Kirkus Reviews
With a poet’s keen ear, Tonya Cherie Hegamin tells the story 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, 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 center of the quilt is “most loved in all the world.”
Gorgeously illustrated by the celebrated cloth artist Cozbi A. Cabrera, Most Loved in All the World (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, January 2009) is a deeply touching and authentic account of a mother’s love and sacrifice, all in the pursuit of freedom for the daughter she loves.
Tonya Cherie Hegamin decided 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. She is the author of M+O 4EVR, a young adult novel. Visit her website at www.tonyacheriehegamin.com.
Cozbi A. Cabrera’s beautiful handcrafted cloth dolls have garnered the attention of collectors around the world and have been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show. She attended the Parsons School of Design and lives in Brooklyn, New York, where her unique work is featured in her eponymous shop and atelier. Visit her website at www.cozbi.com.
Most Loved in All the World · January 2009 · Ages 4–8 · 40 pages · $17.00 · Nonfiction
ISBN-13/EAN: 978-0-618-41903-6
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt · Boston, Massachusetts · www.hmhbooks.com ·
Available wherever books are sold or by calling 1-800-225-3362
