Maya's Blanket/ La manta de Maya

Review
By Booklist

This graceful, contemporary retelling of the traditional Yiddish folk song “I Had a Little Coat” blends the author’s Jewish and Latina heritage boldly and beautifully. Young Maya loves the blue-green blanket with purple butterflies that her abuelita made for her. As she grows up and changes, so does her manta. It becomes a skirt, a bufanda (scarf), a hair ribbon, and even a marcador de libros (bookmark). Caldecott Medal winner Diaz’s (Smoky Night, 1995) illustrations bring a vibrancy to the narrative and infuse every page with luminous colors and textures. Golden halos of light surround the butterflies abuela appliques on the manta, lending a magical cast to the story. The repetition of certain Spanish words helps build vocabulary, while complete Spanish translations appear on every spread. Though culturally specific, its themes of love, longevity, and heritage are universal. This will be loved by readers of all ages as long as there are grandmothers and grandchildren, and it is a perfect choice for bilingual storytimes.