The Hug Blanket by Chris Gurney, Illus. Lael Chisholm.

The Hug Blanket by Chris Gurney, Illus. Lael Chisholm. Pub. Scholastic, 2020.

I read this hard back picture book with a smile on my face, a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye. It is about the life and death of a grandmother and the relationship she had with her grandchildren especially her granddaughter who narrates the story.

Nana had white curly hair, wore flowing skirts, loved sea shells, baked bread and made hug blankets. She played on the beach and was a vital part in the lives of her grand children. Then she suddenly died leaving them all bereft.

Nana’s funeral had sad stories and happy stories and everybody missed her. The ending is superb as Nana’s memory is enshrined in something she left everybody. Read it and see what it is.

Beautiful illustrations that make this story of life, death and grief so meaningful.