Patchwork: An Ensworth Tradition
Patchwork assemblies bring some of the most prolific and talented authors, illustrators, and entertainers to the Red Gables Campus several times a year to talk to our students about their work.
The idea for Patchwork came from Ensworth librarians Mary Ella Burke and Barbara Griffin and began in 1981. The name was chosen for how patchwork quilts blend seemingly disparate pieces into a coherent, distinct whole through time, patience, and experience. The first guest was renowned author and illustrator Tomie dePaola, just six years after his Caldecott Medal for Strega Nona.
When Dean Schneider arrived at Ensworth as a Middle School English teacher in the late ‘80s, Patchwork had become an evening event for students and families with music, readings, and poetry. Over the years, Ensworth received visits from many illustrious authors, illustrators, and entertainers, including Kate DiCamillo, Katherine Paterson, Mo Willems, Jeff Kinney, and Rick Riordan, plus repeat visits from Tomie dePaola, Ashley Bryan, David Holt, Steven Kellogg, Johanna Hurwitz, Jack Gantos, James Ransome, Charles Smith, Allan Wolf, Kate Hovey, Ralph Fletcher, Chris Clark, Gregory Christie, Jacqueline Woodson, Peter Brown, Jonathan Miller, Kwame Alexander, Sophie Blackall, Nathan Hale, and Doug Berky.
When Dean Schneider arrived at Ensworth as a Middle School English teacher in the late ‘80s, Patchwork had become an evening event for students and families with music, readings, and poetry. Over the years, Ensworth received visits from many illustrious authors, illustrators, and entertainers, including Kate DiCamillo, Katherine Paterson, Mo Willems, Jeff Kinney, and Rick Riordan, plus repeat visits from Tomie dePaola, Ashley Bryan, David Holt, Steven Kellogg, Johanna Hurwitz, Jack Gantos, James Ransome, Charles Smith, Allan Wolf, Kate Hovey, Ralph Fletcher, Chris Clark, Gregory Christie, Jacqueline Woodson, Peter Brown, Jonathan Miller, Kwame Alexander, Sophie Blackall, Nathan Hale, and Doug Berky.
These artists have been recognized widely, including four Newbery Medals, three Coretta Scott King Awards, one Caldecott Medal, and even one Grammy. No matter the guest’s profession or the visit’s format, Patchwork has always maintained a commitment to sharing inspiring stories through books and personal interaction.
This semester, Jerry Craft (pictured above) shared his work, his passions, and how he went from someone who did not love reading to a world-renowned author and illustrator. Jerry Craft is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the graphic novels New Kid and Class Act. New Kid is the only book in history to win the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature (2020), the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature (2019), and the Coretta Scott King Author Award for the most outstanding work by an African American writer (2020). Jerry was born in Harlem and grew up in the Washington Heights section of New York City.
Adam Gidwitz, Newbery Honor Award-winning author of The Inquisitor’s Tale, visited in November. He captivated our students by retelling classic Grimm’s fairytales through his book series A Tale Dark and Grimm, which is also a miniseries on Netflix. He is also the author of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back: So You Want to Be a Jedi?
Dion Leonard came to Ensworth to share his inspirational journey with Gobi! While doing an ultra marathon run across the Gobi Desert, Dion met a stray dog he named Gobi. They went through a lot together during that desert trek and became great friends—a story Dion shares through his books.
The emphasis on reading and literacy has been an integral part of the student experience at Ensworth from the early days. Just like a patchwork quilt, the lessons from these inspiring stories are woven together in the memories of countless Ensworth students.
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Red Gables Campus (K–8)
Frist Campus (9–12)
Ensworth is a coeducational, kindergarten through twelfth grade, independent day school.