Blankets

Blankets
Craig Thompson
Published by Top Shelf Productions, 2003; ISBN 1891830430
Recommended reading age: older teen, adult

Summary:
Blankets is an autobiographical story about growing up in a Christian family, and suffering through high school as a nerd. Craig leads an incredibly sheltered life as a child, and being so skinny and naïve makes him an easy target at school. Not until he meets Raina at a summer camp (and falls in love) does he truly question things, come into his own, and start his transformation to adulthood. Blankets is one of the gentler graphic novels on the shelf, sharing space with the likes of 100 Bullets and The Preacher, but it never manages to become sappy.

Review:
Blankets is the perfect “gateway drug” for the world of graphic novels. The characters and situations are incredibly familiar to any teen or adult, so all audiences should relate to the story. Thompson’s easy writing and pleasing art makes for an easy read. After enjoying Blankets, readers can feel more comfortable exploring the world of graphic novels. Thompson’s characters (which are basically himself, his brother, and their acquaintances) are incredibly authentic. I know some people who find Blankets a little too sappy sometimes, but I never thought it truly crossed into the saccharine. This is a good read for people new to graphic novels, for fans of non-action-based graphic novels/comics, and anyone who loves a good coming-of-age story.