FICTION

Blanket & Bear, a Remarkable Pair

by L. J. R. KELLY
illus. by Yoko Tanaka. 32p. Putnam. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 9780399256813. LC 2012009638.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 1—Kelly gives lost possessions a new life in his first book. At first, the stuffed brown bear and the fuzzy white blanket are loved by a boy. They keep him company and give him a sense of security. When they are separated on a voyage, each longs to find the other. As time passes, though, the bear realizes the boy has new interests (baseball and friends) and he decides to make a new home on the Island of Lost Blankets and Bears. In this land, toys pass the time by playing and telling stories about their former owners. Tanaka's paintings are almost otherworldly. The bears have human personalities and behaviors, and the scenery appears covered in a misty light. The message is heartfelt and it may comfort children who are missing their favorite toys.—Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada
Accidentally separated from their young owner, Blanket and Bear begin a long journey back to him. By the time they find their boy, he's too old to need them, so they're free to retire to the idyllic island of lost blankets and bears. The bittersweet story and pleasant acrylic illustrations may interest readers, but stilted writing limits the rhyming verses' appeal.
Reviewed by Tanya Boudreau , Dec 01, 2013

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