Small Bunny’s Blue Blanket by Tatyana Feeney

Small Bunny did everything with his blue blanket.  He took it everywhere with him.  His blanket helped him read hard words, swing higher on the swings, and paint the best pictures.  But one day, Small Bunny’s mother thinks that Blue Blanket should be washed.  Small Bunny tried to hide, but his mother found him.  So after Small Bunny’s bath, it was Blue Blanket’s turn.  Small Bunny stood and watched the washer for the entire 107 minutes that it took to wash.  Then Blue Blanket had to dry on the line.  Small Bunny’s mother was sure that the blanket was good as new, but Small Bunny did not want a new blanket, he wanted his good old friend back.

There is such charm in this very simple book thanks to the illustrations.  Done in a limited palette of blues and small touches of pink, the minimalist lines give a sense of space and movement.  Somehow this simple rabbit illustration manages to convey deep emotions, including joy, impatience and deep worry.  The sweep of the blanket through the pages adds motion.

The playful illustrations offer a lightness to the book that elevates it nicely.  The writing is simple and basic.  I enjoyed the touch where Small Bunny’s mother told him it would take only a minute for his blanket to be washed and it took 107.  Lovely.  I also enjoyed the fact that this book was not about getting a child to let go of a beloved blanket, but instead just getting it washed.  The ending is satisfying too.

Playful and fun to read, this book will be enjoyed by the preschool audience.  The simple words and illustrations will work well with a toddler story time.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from copy received from Alfred A. Knopf.