2004 ALA Best Books for Young Adults
2004 Eisner Award Winner
2004 Harvey Award Winner
2004 Ignatz Award Winner
Out of all the single volume graphic novels that I've read so far, Blankets is by far the longest one. Additionally, it has tremendous depth. Obviously, it's been rather well received and has won numerous awards both in the United States and abroad.Blankets, while being fiction, is based on the author's personal experiences and is therefore autobiographical in nature. It's a story about growing up with an evangelical Christian background and how it affects a person. It's a story about family and relationships. It's a story about school, religion, and responsibility; of a young man finding his way and place in the world. But perhaps most of all, it's a poignant story of first love, and first loss.
Although almost 600 pages long, it reads quickly and with intensity. The black and white graphics are absolutely stunning. In fact, the novel is in its entirety absolutely fantastic; a fine example of what a graphic novel can accomplish.
