Book Review: Small Bunny's Blue Blanket by Tatya Feeney

Book: Small Bunny’s Blue Blanket
Author: Tatya Feeney
Illustrator: Tatya Feeney
Published: 2012
Source: Local Library

Small Bunny and his constant companion, Blue Blanket, do everything together. Then one day, Mama Bunny decrees a separation. A bath, to be precise. For both of them. But Blue Blanket can’t get clean in the tub, and Small Bunny can't go in the washing machine. How will he ever survive?!

Linus and Charles Schulz may have introduced the idea of a security blanket into American thought, but I’m quite sure that there were cave babies hanging onto their ratty saber-toothed tiger pelts for dear life. There have always been books about kids and their blankies. This one is particularly charming in its simplicity.

The art is sweet and childlike, with occasional dabs of watercolor for effect on a mostly white page. It’s still expressive, though. My favorite spread shows Small Bunny standing vigil in front of the washing machine for 107 minutes, ears getting droopier and droopier as the anxious separation stretches out.

My favorite part has to be the end, where Blue Blanket is returned, “good as new.” But Blue Bunny doesn’t want new. It requires much activity to get Blue Blanket up to perfect, but he’s up for the challenge.