Somebody, Anybody, Hug Me!

The Hug
Written by Eoin McLaughlin & Illustrated by Polly Dunbar
Age Level: 0-2 Years
Published April 2, 2019

Little people, BIG hugs.

Novelty, originality, and wit charmed my daughter and me on our very first reading of The Hug.

Hedgehog and Turtle are both feeling sad one day and are in desperate need of a hug. But due to Hedgehog’s prickly spikes and Turtle’s rock hard shell, none of the animals that they approach are willing to oblige. A wise owl reassures the despondent creatures that “there’s someone for everyone,” and shortly after, Hedgehog and Tortoise meet, lock eyes, and charge each other with open arms. Pure joy explodes from the page and you can’t help but smile at their somersaulting squeeze.

“As happy as a hug can make you …
As happy as two someones can be.”

Reading this book is a super fun and interactive experience. The first half is told from Hedgehog’s perspective, the second half from Turtle’s. Their roly-poly embrace in the middle requires you to flip the book upside down like you’re tumbling along with them in order to read the second half right-side up. On any given reading, you can choose whose perspective to start with and read the book either front-to-back or back-to-front.

This is a storybook that you and your little one will both appreciate. My daughter laughs at the funny excuses that the animals come up with to avoid giving hugs, and she likes to be the one to spin the book upside down at the midpoint. I appreciate the quality and effort that was put into the book, with the beautiful watercolor illustrations printed on thick, creamy paper and the thought that went into the out-of-the-ordinary layout. It’s a breath of fresh air to come across a book that is just as delightful as it is original.