Something from Nothing

Phoebe Gilman’s beloved classic celebrates its 20th anniversary! Joseph’s grandfather made him a beautiful blanket when he was a baby, but now it’s frazzled and worn, and Joseph’s mother says it is time to throw it out. Joseph doesn’t want to part with his special blanket, and he’s sure that his grandfather can fix it. Sure enough, Grandfather miraculously alters the blanket into useful items again and again. But when Joseph loses the final item, even Grandfather can’t make something from nothing. But maybe Joseph can? Based on the Yiddish folktale “Joseph’s overcoat,” Phoebe Gilman’s gorgeous artwork charts the transformation of the blanket and the progress of Joseph’s family through the years, subtly teaching young readers about a lost way of life.