Personal Narrative: My Sky In Santa Cruz

The picture book being analysed is ‘My Two Blankets’ by Irena Kobald and Freya Blackwood. This book was awarded the ‘children’s book council of Australia’ Picture Book of the year for 2015.

It was April of 1999. My family was at home. Children were running outside. The asphalt was burning. Cars rolled up to the entrance of the apartments and BANG. I grew up in Stockton, California. Surprisingly, as a minority, I wasn’t really a minority. There were, in fact, a large and diverse population of Asian-Americans. But, Stockton is not the ideal place to live. It was hot and dry, almost to the point of a drought. Stockton was also ranked as the one of the top 5 most dangerous cities in California. So, having a nice and safe family is kind of difficult. Eventually, my family decided to move to Crescent City, California when my dad retired. It was a world of difference. There were trees, plentiful water, and a nice cool temperature. This

San Luis, Colorado is the oldest town in Colorado. The Rio Culebra winds through the valley, surrounded by majestic mountains. It is one of the most beautiful scenes I have ever seen. My family along with many others have been here for generations. The beauty of the land is only accentuated by the beauty of our tight-knit families and culture. To counteract of all the physical and cultural beauty, there is social and economic strife everywhere around me. I live in the poorest county in Colorado and being impoverished is a challenge my community faces because of a lack of education and job deficit. As I have delved into community and family history, I have better understanding that the fact the that while many things like our support and love for family and culture have remain unchanged and untainted, so has the fact that our community struggles

Every summer I look forward to sitting on a large, warm cabana under the Texas sun. My feet buried in the sand as I welcome the lukewarm waves against my legs. Being a beach bum in South Padre Island, Texas is a great way to bring on the summer. This island isn’t short of attractions, from the beautiful ocean, to tasty restaurants, to fireworks over the ocean you will never get bored on your vacation! Last summer I was joined by a few of my closest friends. We made so many memories as we all went parasailing for the first time. Our relationship grew stronger as we were able to share a new experience together. Spending a few weeks in South Padre Island with family and close friends is a great way to make memories that will last a lifetime.

I grew in a very small Northern California town. I am an only child and I was mainly raised by my mom who worked full time as a waitress. These are only two sentences about me, however I think they paint a picture about the way I look at the world. When you think small town you think sheltered, and you would be right. When you think Northern California you think liberal, you would again be right. When you think only child of a single parent you think independent but close to her mom, you would once agin be correct. Perhaps you didn’t guess all those things from the first two sentences, but I am here to tell you that many people can. I tend to read like an open book. I’m easily guessable.

I have had many possessions precious to me, but non-mount to the only thing that I have had since I was born, my baby blanket. The blanket has gone through life with me, been with me through it all. This blanket is my childhood; it means the most to me and it is the memories I couldn’t bear to hold. Though it’s a torn up piece of fabric, I could never let it

I don’t remember much, I just remember not wanting to leave. The place I would be spending the rest of my life I had only visited a few times. I, only being two at the time, was absolutely terrified of moving. Moving. It seemed like the worst possible thing that could’ve happened then. At first, when we left, it felt the same as the last time I had gone there. Then the realization that I would be gone forever kicked in, and the fact that this time, my dad wasn’t coming with us. Just my mom and I.

The issues of obesity and food deserts are important, and many people have questions about these topics. What makes this important though? To dig even deeper, what are the significant factors of both topics? The answer to the most pressing subject of modern times will now be determined.

Richard Rogers’ song “Favorite Things” talks about how the narrator’s favorite things make them feel better when times aren’t the best. People often have a memento from childhood that they keep throughout their life, such as a stuffed animal or a tea set. These possessions represent a memory or event from one’s life -whether it be from early on or from later in life- which in turn remind them of the feelings from the times they received it. These tokens from their early life often mean the world to them, and this is an accurate description of how I feel about my “Blankie.” My blanket is a source of comfort, every small imperfection has a memory behind it, and these impressions make the blanket unique to my life and my experiences. While most of the details that reside on my blanket are small and often remain unnoticed, each one makes it more important to me.

While I was in my grandparents’ house a few years ago, I had noticed a very soft woven mohair blanket in their living room. I was told that my aunt had picked it up while she was in Ireland, and I knew that when I went to Ireland, I would acquire one for myself.

My purple blanket is torn up, worn-out, and very small. Its appearance is far from charming, nevertheless it means the world to me. That tattered childhood blanket gave me a sense of security that is hard to find anywhere else. When I was younger, I was afraid of everything, and my blanket made me invulnerable to all the “monsters” that lurked in my room at nightfall. Whenever I lay awake at night,

One vital artifact is my blanket. My blanket is pink, has a drawing of winnie the pooh, and it is very fluffy. The blanket is special to me because I got it when I was a baby and I have had it ever since. It is also special to me because it was given to me by my sister. One important artifact is my pink, fluffy blanket. I got it when I was a baby and it was given to me by my sister.

Did you know that almost everyone, including adults, owns an object with sentimental value? My special object is my bear pillow. This pillow reminds me of a time when I felt loved. It’s also very soft and it looks like my dog.

The last time I remember something changing the night sky in my life time was the comet Hale-bopp back in 1997. I used to sit on the porch on my townhouse and start at it with my Dad. I was only 12 then so I didn't really have the most in-depth knowledge on what a comet was, but it blew my mind into read as much as I could about space. Speaking of the nighttime sky, astronomers are predicting the sky could look a little different in 2022.

I believe in a warm blanket when curled up on the couch watching the drama in Grey's Anatomy to laughing at the comedy of Friends or to covering your eyes in fear of Annabelle. When bundled up bawling your eyes out to (spoiler alert) Gus Waters dying in The Fault in Our Stars, you need a blanket to clench onto.