In this dreamlike children's book for kids ages 4-8, Jake and his mother go outside to hang the laundry out to dry. She helps him hang his special blanket which "was extra soft from so much love and from Momma's gentle washings." While Jake is resting in the sun, a wind snatches the blanket away into the sky. This comfort object brings love to some baby birds, a calf, some bunnies, and a puppy before it finds its way back to Jake.
The Flyaway Blanket was written by Allan Peterkin and illustrated by Emmeline Pidgen; it is published by the press of the American Psychological Association. An end note to parents describes it as a story about the strength of the bonds between parents and their children and the important rule that transitional or comfort objects can play as children begin to explore the wider world.
We think it also tutors us in the art of loving things and cherishing them. Pychologist James Hillman believed that the things in our lives can turn toxic if we handle them badly. Treat them with love and care and they will return the favor. Let this story work its magic on you so that you may invest more of yourself in your possessions.
