My Two Blankets - by Irena Kobald (Hardcover)

About the Book

Moving is hard--but friends make it easier.

In this stunning multicultural picture book illustrated by Kate Greenaway Medalist Freya Blackwood, a young girl has moved to a new country with her auntie, and misses all she's ever known. Everything in her new country feels so strange: the animals, the plants--even the wind. To comfort herself, she creates a safe place under her old blanket, which is made out of memories, thoughts, and reminders of home. After meeting a new friend in the park, the girl begins to weave a new blanket--one made of friendship, new words, and a renewed sense of belonging. It's very different from the old blanket, but it eventually becomes just as warm and familiar--and one to share with her new friend.
Fans of Tricia Tusa, Helen Oxenbury, Marla Frazee, and Matt Phelan will delight in reading this warm story alongside Blackwood's artwork.

Book Synopsis

Cartwheel moves to a new country with her auntie, and everything is strange: the animals, the plants--even the wind. An old blanket gives Cartwheel comfort when she's sad--and a new blanket just might change her world.

This multicultural story of friendship is about leaving home, moving to a foreign and strange place, and finding a new friend. It's a story for all who have experienced change. Irena Kobald's poetic text, paired with Kate Greenaway medalist Freya Blackwood's powerful paintings, renders an emotional and heart-warming story about two children from diverse backgrounds coming together to become new friends.

Review Quotes

* "Loneliness, cultural displacement, tentative friendship, and an explosion of sharing and kindness are accessible even to very young readers...An amazingly lovely import." --Kirkus, starred review "With its bold visual metaphors, "My Two Blankets" ingeniously captures a child's efforts to weave the old with the new." --New York Times Book Review "The blanket metaphor is powerful, and the way that sounds are depicted through shape and line works well." --School Library Journal "The illustrations, a combination of watercolor and oils, heighten the effect of the thought-provoking story. Just the right format for children to think about immigrants and friendship." --Booklist --

About the Author

This is Irena Kobald's debut picture book, inspired by a friendship that developed between her own daughter and a Sudanese child. She lives in Australia with her family.

Freya Blackwood earned the 2010 Kate Greenaway Award for Harry and Hopper. She lives in Australia with her family. Visit her website at www.freyablackwood.com.au.