I am fairly certain I have read Bailey and the Blanket before. Perhaps I have not reviewed Emily House’s book here, but even if I have, every time you read a book you find something different (or I do). Or your feelings change as you are in a different mindset or have had new experiences since then. Of course, you could also feel the same way as you did the first time. That is the magic of a book. You never know where it will take you. Like you never know where Bailey and their blanket will end up.
And Bailey and Blanket end up all sorts of places. Playing hammock, tea party, even going to the beach. When an uninvited interloper wants to play with Blanket, it does not come out for the better and it is up to a clever father and his trusty supplies, to find a solution so best friends can still adventure together.
A diverse cast of characters, in a stereotypical family (mom, dad and Bailey), grace the pages (also created by Emily House). Even Bailey is contemporary portrayed as pronouns are never used and you see them in pink and blue. It is a cozy story, with sweet illustrations about the joys (and woes) of growing up and how things change but can stay the same (or at least familiar), too.
The artwork is a story within itself, while support the cast of characters and their text. Overall, everything is sweet, classic and has that “todayness” to it as well. The art is soothing, but not lulling you into a false relaxedness. There is action in dem der lines!
Good for most ages, it would work well one-on-one reading and in a group setting.