Maya’s Blanket/La manta de Maya

In a tender bilingual story inspired by a Yiddish folksong, Maya’s beloved butterfly-laden blanket, made by her abuelita, passes through numerous incarnations. When the blanket frays, Maya and her grandmother fashion it into a dress and, later, a skirt. From there, it becomes a shawl, scarf, bookmark, and a story to pass down. In English and Spanish, Brown describes these transitions using a “House That Jack Built” structure: “So with her own two hands and Abuelita’s help, Maya made her vestido that was her manta into a falda that she loved very much.” The angular poses and vivid colors of Diaz’s illustrations evoke the feeling of stained-glass windows in this uplifting story of passing time, enduring love, and creative reuse. Ages 5–9. Author’s agent: Stefanie von Borstel, Full Circle Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Rubin Pfeffer, Rubin Pfeffer Content. (Sept.)