Blanket
by Ruth Ohi ; illus. by the author
Preschool     Groundwood    32 pp.     g
9/22     978-1-77306-614-1     $18.99
e-book ed.  978-1-77306-615-8    $16.99

Though wearing bright yellow pajamas that exude cheeriness, Cat wakes up in a gloomy mood, seemingly unaware of the sun shining through the window. Luckily, Dog knows how to let friend Cat have all the feels. This wordless picture book tells a gentle story with a powerful message: it’s okay to feel down, and it’s okay to get help. Double-page spreads convey our protagonist’s frame of mind: one spread shows Cat after waking, ­sitting with downcast eyes, the bedroom a pool of blurry, gray shadows. Small vignettes denote action: seven scenes on a single spread show Dog’s quick discernment of Cat’s glum mood and wise decision to sit quietly nearby. When Cat, hiding under a blanket, invites Dog in, the vignettes become larger, making viewers feel they’ve joined the friends in their cozy cave. A final spread expresses Cat’s emotional state at the end: after a lovely playtime, Dog secures some snacks and the two friends sit on the blanket together, looking out the window at the beautiful day. Ohi deliberately includes Cat’s light-blue blanket in virtually every scene—an ever-present sign of clear skies to come.

From the September/October 2022 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.