5 Great Books For When You Need a Hug

Friday Five Hugs

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I thought it would be the perfect time to share some of our favourite picture book ‘hugs’ with you in this week’s book round up. So, without any further ado, here they are. Clockwise, starting from the top:

  • Hug Me, by Simona Ciraolo – I know people often save the best till last, but I love this book so much I’m starting off with my personal favourite. Felipe comes from a family, where you respect each other space. You behave properly, look good, and keep still. All Felipe wants though, is a hug. But Felipe is a cactus! After a disastrous encounter with a balloon, Felipe becomes an outcast and leads a lonely existence on the edge of cactus society. Until he meets Camilla. A wonderful book that shows you can’t choose your family, but you can always find a friend. The illustrations are exquisite.
  • Hug Machine, by Scott Campbell – Speaking of illustrations, it was the front cover and the cute illustrations that caught my attention on this book, which is a brand new addition to our library. Watch out, here comes the Hug Machine! The Hug Machine is the best at hugging. The Hug Machine’s hugs cheers people up, and calms them down. The Hug Machine hugs soft things, hard things, square things, long things. Even things that seem to big or too spiky. There is nothing the Hug Machine will not hug! Who have you hugged today?
  • Hugless Douglas, by David Melling – You can’t do a round up of HUG related books, and not mention Hugless Douglas. This is one we borrowed from the library. Douglas wants a hug! He tries hugging a rock, but it’s too heavy. He tried hugging a tree, but he ends up with splinters. He scares off the sheep, and makes owl cross, in his search for a hug. Poor Douglas! Will he have to remain hugless? Our local bookshop has a giant Douglas, and Mr Fox loves giving him a cuddle.
  • Hug, by Jez Alborough – Another library loan, this is a book of little words. In fact, it gets by with repeating just the one same word throughout – yes, you’ve guessed it, the word if HUG. All the animals in the jungle seem to have someone to cuddle, except for Bobo the little chimp. Will Bobo succeed in his search for a hug? This book is particularly suited for the very little ones (we used to own a copy of it when Oskar was a baby). The illustrations are gorgeous.
  • Slug Needs a Hug, by Jeanne Willis (author) & Tony Ross (illustrator) – And, finally, this is a book we got introduced to at the Edinburgh Book Festival last year. Slug is feeling sad, because his mummy won’t hug him. So he goes on a quest to make himself more ‘huggable’, with the help from some other animals. But will fur, a beak or wings gain him those hugs he so longs for? There’s a very sweet ending with Slug and his mummy at the end, which will warm your heart.

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Do you have any other favourite picture books about hugs to recommend? Please feel free to share them in the comments below.


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Comments: 9

  • reply
    10 February 2018

    most of these are new to me (except Hugless Duoglas which we love). Another we like is “the perfect hug”

  • reply

    Marie

    20 February 2018

    These are so cute! I’m going to use some of these for the drama classes I teach!

  • reply

    Kirsty

    20 February 2018

    Oh we have Hugless Douglas it is great! My favourite cuddle one if called ‘The Perfect Hug.’ We have read it so much both the girls know all the words.

  • reply
    20 February 2018

    Aw the thought of a cactus needing a hug is strangely heart breaking! Poor little fella… I love the sound of Slug Needs A Hug too.

  • reply
    20 February 2018

    Who knew there were so many books about hugs – how lovely! Felipe sounds lovely x

  • reply
    20 February 2018

    Ahh this is so cute! I love that these books are full of love, they sound like they have the feel good factor!

  • reply
    21 February 2018

    The front cover of hug machine is so adorable, this is such a nice colletion of books x

  • reply

    Beth @ BethinaBox.com

    21 February 2018

    Oh these are so sweet! I love books and Slug needs a hug appeals to me! :)

  • reply
    21 February 2018

    All of these are new to me and they all sound lovely. From your summary I can see why Hug Me would be your favourite. It so ld probably be mine too!

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