Based on the true story of the author's trip to China in 1994 to adopt her daughter PanPan, who was then 5 months old, this picture book is the tale of a little girl who needs a mommy and a forgotten blanket that needs a little girl and a woman who needs them both. Full color. ( )

I read “The Red Blanket” by Eliza Thomas. I really liked this realistic fiction picture book. The main idea of this story is family and the author displays this main idea by using plot, characters, and point-of-view.
The plot of this story is a lonely woman adopting a baby, and making a family of her own.
The characters in this story are mainly the adopter’s supportive family and friends and the little adopted girl, who is welcomed into this family.
The point-of-view is told by the adopter mom, who strives to have a family, and will stop at nothing to have it. ( )

Panpan adopted from China the only thing that would calm her was her red blanket. ( )

This story is about a mothers journey through the adoption process of her daughter PanPan, who she adopted from China. The book focuses around the mother, who goes through many different steps to obtain her daughter. Once she finally does receive her daughter, she realizes that there are many more challenges to being a mother than initially believed.

I really like this story because I feel that adoption is a lot more common in my generation, especially parents adopting children from other countries. Wherever a parent adopts a child from, many of the same events occur. Such as the excitement that a parent may experience when receiving a letter, which the mom in this story experiences. She shares the news with her friends and her dog. Other experiences including going shopping for items for the adopted child, and of course, the difficulties that a parent may experience once the adoption is complete. The characters are very believable in this story and I feel they are given a lot of depth.

I also like that the storyline was very well organized. In the beginning, the reader could feel the anxiousness that the mom felt when going through the adoption process. The stages where the mom was receiving and writing letters to adoption agencies. The adoption acceptance phase where the mom finally is accepted and begins buying items for her "new daughter", including a red blanket. Then the story reaches a conflict where the adoption is complete, yet the bond between new mother and adopted daughter does not occur instantaneous. The mother tries anything she can think of to comfort PanPan when she is crying, including singing lullabies, carrying her, and talking to her. It isn't until the mother remembers the red blanket and gives it to PanPan that she stops crying and becomes comforted.

This book was well written and I feel that even those who are not in the exact same situation that these characters faced, that the reader could still relates to similar feelings and experiences. ( )

This book is a charming story of a women who dreams of having a baby, and has her dreams come true when she adopts a baby girl from China. I really enjoyed this story for many reasons. The illustrations in this book were wonderful, they were colorful, and fit the written text. My favorite illustration was when the women found out she would be getting her daughter. She received a letter in the mail and when she held it up, the letter was highlighted from the sky. It was a wonderful way to draw attention to the letter. I think it represented how important this baby would be to her, as the letter was the main focal point of the page. In addition I thought the characters were relatable. While I was not adopted, I could relate to having a blanket, like many children do, that I took everywhere with me. I know the discomfort the little girl felt, and how relieved she was when she had her blanket. This story also broadened the reader’s perspectives, I knew few very children who were adopted, and through this book I was able to see how important these children are to their parents, and how important the parents are to the child. This book allows children to see a family that may be different from their family. The big idea of this book is showcase the diversity of families and the positivity of adoption. ( )