The Blanket Where Violet Sits
September 2022, Candlewick Press
Cozy and expansive at once, this warm bedtime book reminds us that our aspirations—no matter how big—deserve the universe.
A gorgeous picture-book ode to wonder and safety, told in cumulative rhyme and with earthy illustrations evoking brick brownstones and crisp autumn skies. In a galaxy spiraling white, on a small blue planet with a moon so pretty, in a green park in a bustling city, a little girl sits on a blanket with her family, eating a sandwich, an apple, and chips. Equipped with telescope and space book, Violet gazes up into the great beyond, imagining a rocket ride to the stars . . . and a soft, sleepy return to her blanket. Lyrical and meditative, this is the perfect picture book to savor and share during a late-night picnic under the moon—or anytime.
Reviews
“Stellar fuel for the heart and mind and an expansive storytime choice.”
—Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW
“A The House That Jack Built narrative structure gives a night of stargazing galactic dimensions in this expansive picture book.
—Publisher’s Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“The coziest exploration of the universe ever.”
—Horn Book
Wolf’s cumulative verse, which begins with cozy informality, turns statelier as thoughts of orbiting planets segue to consideration of our galaxy, clouds of galaxies, and the implication of possible limitlessness we can’t quite comprehend. . . exudes warmth.
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Step by step, using the rhyme, rhythm, and repeated images reminiscent of “The House That Jack Built,” the narrative returns to Violet sitting on her blanket in the park. Wolf uses the nursery rhyme’s structure effectively, sending listeners’ imaginations soaring before bringing them back to the familiar. Tobia’s pencil drawings, digitally enhanced with color and texture, create warm, inviting scenes in this mind-expanding picture book for young stargazers.
—Booklist