Book and Blanket Pairing: Rainbow Polka Dot Blanket

When we found out a cousin and his wife were expecting their third baby girl, I knew I had the perfect blanket in my stack for the young family. A bright happy blanket made of granny squares with circular centers in a rainbow of colors that could bring smiles to their faces. A statement piece for the baby’s nursery.

But a baby gift, for me, isn’t complete until we’ve added a book for the new arrival’s library. In this case we added two picture books since there are older sisters to cuddle and read with as well. I chose Nancy Bess had a Dress by Claire Annette Noland (a sweet friend of mine) and The Adventures of Beekle:  The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat to pair with this rainbow polka dot blanket.

I appreciated the historical elements of Nancy Bess’s dress. The fact that flour sacks were repurposed and given new life as clothing. Reading this story gives families an opportunity to share the hardships of history like the Great Depression in a way that kids can understand.

And then I liked seeing the fabric reach its final state, memorialized in a family keepsake as Nancy, “… measured, cut, stitched, and saved the unused bits.”

It’s a lovely read.

I picked Beekle in part for the ROGBIV spectrum of the title. And I love the artwork, and the concept of how imaginary friends are realized. It is the kind of story to get lost in and feed creative play. My favorite line is, “The real world was a strange place. No kids were eating cake.”

Both books tell rich tales that will spark good conversations with young readers. If you’re looking for a book or two to give to a young person in your life, I would highly recommend either one of these.

To round out this gift, I crocheted three little chicks. One chick for each daughter. A small reminder of the blanket, that can be tucked under an arm and go with them anywhere. Even if they are just going to the sofa to cuddle up and read a bedtime story together.

Dear Little Cousin, we hope you love your gift as much as we loved putting it together. Welcome little one!