What a fantastic experience. ( )

Blankets was banned in all Utah public K-12 schools in August, 2024. I feel so strongly about intellectual freedom that I'm going to share some very personal insights. Warning: tough topics ahead.

'Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.'
- James Baldwin, As Much Truth As One Can Bear

Growing up male, straight, white, middle-class, and as a member of Utah's predominant faith, I had many privileges. But during my late teen years in the late 1990s, conflict erupted in my home, where I was the oldest of five kids. Amidst a miasma of mental illness, grief, abuse, and distrust, I often clashed with my parents about religion and values. Not everything about my life was awful, and I found solace in music, girlfriends, and libraries, but the toxic environment was bad enough that it eventually led to me being a homeless, nearly friendless, suicidal school dropout within six months of turning eighteen.

Unbeknownst to me, around that same time, a young artist named Craig Thompson was processing his painful rural midwest adolescence into a new graphic novel. As he was finishing the book, I was beginning to heal after marrying my smart, patient, and strong partner, Amy. I got my first library job, we started having kids, and I went back to school. Blankets was published in 2003, earning acclaim and a bunch of awards and I read it in 2012, after it was recommended by my good friend, Shawn.

Seeing something like my own experience portrayed in such a beautiful and moving way between the covers of a book was at first overwhelming and then profoundly comforting. I was reminded of the positive potency of creative expression, and visual storytelling in particular. I learned that Thompson went through a lot and yet survived to make a constructive contribution to society. Most importantly, I understood that I was not alone in my experiences, and that fact gave me power and empathy. I wish Blankets had been available for me to read as a teenager.

Of course, the story of my teen years is not unique. Perhaps you experienced something similar. From everything I know, teens in my community are experiencing it right now. But without Blankets and other such stories on their high school library's shelves, that same source of power and empathy isn't available to those teens unless they somehow know to seek it elsewhere (I hope they find this review and then find Blankets another way).

Life-long learning and exploring the reality of our world are core values for me. Truthfully, that's what led me to non-fiction librarianship and Humanism. I'm upset that some people are seeking to infantilise anyone who's not an adult by banning books that include human experiences that make them personally uncomfortable. In my opinion, restricting professional educators and librarians to presenting an overly sanitised/idealised/ultimately untruthful view of life and then hoping minors will be prepared on their high school graduation day or their eighteenth birthday to handle the real adult world is a foolhardy plan. All kids should have the opportunity to access developmentally-appropriate literature/news/art/research/instruction/conversations that can, step by step, help them place their experiences into context and prepare them for the future. No system will ever be perfect, but I believe this is a noble goal to try for. That's one of the main reasons we have public schools and public libraries.

It's been twelve years and Blankets is still yielding power and empathy to me and many others. Let's #UniteAgainstBookBans and #LetUtahRead.

- September, 2024 ( )

Beautiful art but it didn't speak to me, maybe because I'm not from a fundamentalist Christian background. Sweet and sad story of first romance and the need to follow one's artistic path. ( )

A heart felt story, wonderfully drawn. A story of childhood, and first love, within a strong, a serious, Christian faith. Based in the northern US, in a land of winter and the bush. This story packed a strong punch and the drawings added a whole other level of dialog to enrich and expand the tale. In my view, deeply impressive. ( )

If you're looking for a graphic novel that delves deep into the complexities of love and emotional turmoil, "Blankets" by Craig Thompson is a must-read. While I typically don't gravitate towards romance, this story is far from your typical love tale. It captures the painful reality of families breaking apart and the inner battles of two teenagers grappling with their emotions in a world quick to judge.
Thompson masterfully takes readers on an emotional journey, exploring the narrow lanes of our feelings often trampled by others. Despite being a graphic novel, the raw pain and vulnerability in the author's voice are palpable, making it a perfect read for fans of tragic romance. This book undoubtedly deserves a 5-star rating. ( )