Jane's Blanket

This is a reissue of an old and loved story about growing up. This book is the only children's story written by playwriter, Arthur Miller.

Jane has a soft pink blanket that she got when she was a baby. The story tells how much she loved her "bata" and how she held it and slept with it all the time. The blanket eventually wore out, got smaller and was put in the bag of rags. When Jane realizes her blanket is missing, she cries until her mother gives her what is left of it. She realized that not only has her blanket gotten smaller, but she has gotten bigger and is growing up. She still wants her blanket at night and she hugs what is left of it. As the story tells of her life changing as she continues to grow up, she becomes less and less interested in her blanket, until one day, when she again notices it is missing. Her mother digs out what is left of it and again she sleeps with it in her room. There is a happy ending to the story.

The illustrations are black and white except for the blanket which adds a nice contrast. A wonderful story to read to children as they are growing up and are beginning to not need that beloved blanket or toy to feel secure anymore. A great book to be on all family bookshelves.

Rating: 3.5/5 This is a reprint of the original which was published in 1963 and it is delightful! It tells the story of Jane and her baby blanket. The illustrations are all sketches where the only colour (other than black and white) is the pink blanket. It shares some of the things Jane used to do with the blanket as she grew from being a baby to school age, showing how as she grew bigger the much loved blanket grew smaller. Initially Jane is reluctant to let her old tattered blanket go until a bluebird started to use threads from it to line her nest.

This is a sweet book, one that may well end up being as treasured as Jane’s beloved blanket. It could easily be read with children who are a similar age to Jane towards the end of the story - an age when they are beginning to outgrow their own blanket or baby toys. It could help reassure children that this is just part of growing up and not meant to upset them. It is a lovely, if old fashioned, book and one that will stay in the memories of those who hear or read it as a child.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley, too, for letting me read an ARC of this book in exchange for this, an honest review.

'Jane's Blanket' is the only children's story written by Arthur Miller. This version had lovely minal drawings by Al Parker of the Famous Artists School.

The story begins when Jane is just a little baby and she has a favorite blanket that is pink. She loves her blanket and cuddles with it. She can't sleep when she doesn't have it, but eventually Jane grows up. As she grows, the blanket is still important, but is growing frayed from all the use and washings. As Jane grows and the blanket shrinks, Jane has to make some choices about her beloved blanket.

The story would hold up well to modern children, and would make a good quiet time book for bedtime. It's beautifully written and beautifully illustrated. The illustrations are black and white with pink coloring for the blanket. The story deals with growing up and letting go of things, but it isn't melancholy or sad. It's a gently told tale, and I love that it doesn't attempt to talk down to children. This is a master artist and writer telling a gentle and moving tale.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Dover Publications and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this wonderful ebook.

Arthur Miller, the author of "Death of a Salesman," penned his only book for children, "Jane's Blanket." The book I review today is a reprint of the original which was published in 1963. He published the book the same year as the birth of his second daughter Rebecca, but dedicated it to his firstborn daughter, Jane, who was nearing 20 years old at the time. The blanket in the story represents himself as the father and his diminishing importance in Jane's life as she matures and grows up.

This heartwarming tale follows a little baby girl named Jane who bonds immediately to her soft, warm, cuddly pink blanket. She calls it "bata" because she can not pronounce blanket. She is inseparable from that little square of cloth and each night snuggles down with it and receives peace and security.

Jane grows even bigger and one night she discovers her bata is missing. She seeks out her mom to ask where it has gone. Her mother retrieves it and shows it to Jane telling her beloved daughter that she is growing big and her blanket has grown smaller. Her mom points out that much revered bata is tattered, frayed and full of holes with threads sticking out all around it. She tells Jane she is too old for it now and should release it, but Jane disagrees.

Jane returns to her bedroom and tries to cover herself like old times, snuggle down with it once again and finally comes to realization that even though she would love to keep holding onto it ... it's time to let it go. She lovingly places on her windowsill hoping tomorrow she may figure out what to do.

In the morning she opens her eyes and discovers a bluebird pulling out threads from her blanket and then flying off. What could that bird possibly be doing with those threads? Jane's parents explain to her how her blanket is being recycled and will now be used by that special mother bird to comfort and keep her babies warm and safe. That explanation made Jane very happy indeed. She then understood that her bata would always belong to her whenever she thought of that cozy little bird family taking refuge in their nest together.

The illustrations are sketches and the only colour added is to Jane's pink blanket which is delightful. The story is heartwarming and relatable especially if you have had a little one that bonded with their bata and had separation anxiety when it was put to rest.

This book was just precious. Jane just loves her blankie which reminds me a lot of my Nattie-bug and her duckie. As Jane grows, the blanket is getting smaller and more worn. I just love how the author seems to so accurately portray how a child feels. They crave that familiar blanket. Even as Jane grows, she wants that blanket, but it is old and worn out. She takes it from mom's dust rag stash and keeps trying to use it. Eventually there is so little left, it isn't even a blanket anymore. What Jane's blanket finally ends up as is a wonderful twist. This book was a fun read for me and the girls liked it to. We give this one three stars. It was pretty good and we will probably read it again, but not likely to buy it.

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1410824616

Amazon - pending

Blog scheduled 10/16

A most surprising curio, this - by which I mean the existence of it, of course, and not the contents, which relate to a young girl and her comfort blanket. With decent enough illustrations it makes for a very pleasant picture book, and one that on this evidence should be more well known. I did see a problem with the mother doing all the talky bits until the final, scientific/positive one, which is where the dad chips in at last, and Jane does seem keen on growing up to be a robot wife in a nuclear family, but on the whole this is a lot more pleasurable than such unnecessary criticism would have you believe.

What a sweet story reminiscent of simpler times -- and by that, I mean the olden days. The illustrations by Al Parker are the perfect match for the bittersweet words by Arthur Miller. And while the illustrations have a very clear retro-Leave-it-to-Beaver black-and-whte style, the story is what makes you realize raising kids is timeless. I myself have a story of my own daughter and her blanket attachment, and this is the 2000s. I thought this might be a sweet story to share with her, but think the story can be best appreciated through more mature beings then my own child who still loves blankets.

The illustrations are all black and white except the pick blanket which is nice. The sweet story deals with growing up of children.

This is a sweet, thoughtful, tender book. I loved the way it ended. I wasn’t impressed with the illustrations, but I don’t think it will be a problem for the kids. So many of them still have blankets, have just gotten rid of them or are working on it that this book is going to resonate with a good percentage of the students.

Endearing tale about a little girl's attachment to a soft, cuddly, pink baby blanket--and how she gave it up as she got older. Charming ending.