Benjy's Blanket

"When an author and illustrator take on the challenge of reinterpreting a classic, they face an inevitable challenge. In Benjy’s Blanket, Miguel Gouveia and Raquel Catalina offer a new approach to the classic Yiddish folktale and song about a humble garment that eventually disintegrates, but survives in the form of a metaphor about the permanence of storytelling. Although readers will be reminded of both Simms Taback’s Joseph Had a Little Overcoat and My Grandfather’s Coat by Jim Aylesworth and Barbara McClintock, Benjy’s Blanket engages with the idea of transient objects and lasting language in a unique way. Where the earlier classics used rhythmic lines to involve readers, Gouveia constructs a quiet and matter-of-fact narrative of a boy and his grandfather, illustrated by Catalina’s emotionally evocative pictures. The result is an unforgettable picture book about intergenerational bonds." ~Jewish Book Counci

"I believe this may be one of my favorite children’s books of all time. Everything about it, from the story to the artwork, is stunning. There are so few books that feature Jewish children in the US, making the diversity a much welcome aspect of the story. This would be a wonderful book for a grandparent to gift their grandchild or vice-versa. I recommend buying two and sharing it over zoom." ~GoodReads Reviewer

"When Benjy is born, his grandfather makes him a blanket (gloriously depicted by Raquel Catalina in Mexican-quilt style). As Benjy grows, the blanket becomes a fine superhero cape. Later, grandpa recycles it as a jacket for Benjy. And when the jacket is outgrown, a waistcoat. Then a scarf. And so on – until it’s just a button. Then – one day, it’s lost. But the greatest wonder is that grandpa can still make something from it (can you guess what?). Benjy’s Blanket is adapted by Miguel Gouveia from a traditional Jewish tale, while Catalina’s illustrations tell a subtle parallel story, since, as the blanket changes, grandpa, too, is changed by time. A moving parable about making memories, for all ages."
~Jewish Book Chronicle