Inspiring Young Readers

posted on 08 Sep 2026

The Tale That Time Sews by Sita Brahmachari, illustrated by Jane Ray

What could be more delightful than finding a new book by two of our all-time favourite multi-award-winning book creators, Sita Brahmachari and Jane Ray.  I was intrigued to see that it promises to use making a traditional family quilt as a way to depict connections across generations and homelands. It also covers representation of grandparent, the refugee experience and how to prepare to welcome a new sibling – three of my favourite picture book themes.

The gorgeously coloured textured cover and the end papers show how each square of such a quilt can capture the stories of the makers and inspire memories and conversations. For instance, what is the significance of the clock and what does the feather represent?

The first double page spread shows a young girl and her cat lying across the quilt playing with ‘the golden thread that travels the Earth, that Time sews.’  This idea of the thread continues as the story develops and builds in way that reminded me of the traditional rhyme ‘This is the House that Jack Built’ and will encourage joining in from even the youngest children:

‘This is the bird that builds a nest,

That carries the thread, the song in your head, that Time sews.’

We see the depth of connection between all the people shown in the complex, busy illustrations. This is a multi-cultural, complicated and harmonious community that clearly cherishes its children as they play together in the school playground. Every turn of the page continues to show how the golden thread binds individuals together and also represents how relationships are strengthened by stories. One of the most profound illustrations shows a father comforting his child in the night when she wakes up. The faces of the two of them gaze into one another’s eyes whilst animal characters, birds and kites are shown attached to the thread as it passes across the bed and then up to the blue starry sky, picking up more interesting creatures as it travels.  I

like the way that the design shifts back and forth from such closely observed larger figures to a wider landscape that shows Grandma with extended family and friends and nature playing its part in creating the story. Beautiful trees frame an ocean scene that shows children flying kites with the text weaving between the sea and sky – the golden thread continues to link it all together.

Both author and illustrator work in residence at the Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants and show their deep commitment to relecting on the power of memories of distant lands and precious family. This resonates throughout the book, particularly on the pages that show the grandma looking through an old photo album with her granddaughter:

‘These are the pictures Nana holds, sharing memories – of long ago homes, wars that came to our doors, dreams of safety and peace, magical moments when love flows. This is the thread that Time sews. ‘

It is so difficult to pick out my favourite parts of this book which deserves careful attention. What shines out is the evident symbiotic relationship between the text and illustrations which is rare to see – successful picture books rely on these complementing one another and so amplifying the overall message. This is a hopeful story that I hope will be widely shared by children, parents and professionals to demonstrate the power of positive relationships. It is also an excellent example of using a simple, repetitive text to convey depth of feeling. Jane Ray’s distinctive illustrations use bold colour alongside meticulous detail which makes it a really sumptuous aesthetic experience and should inspire some great artwork.

I strongly recommend this picture book published by Templar Books. It should be available to buy from your local independent bookshop who will happily order it for you if not already on their shelves.   

Karen Argent

September 2026