How to Hug

by Maryann MacDonald (Author) Jana Christy (Illustrator)

How to Hug
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Reading Level: K − 1st Grade
cms Common Sense Media Review
Bear hugs, octopus hugs, and hugs that make you feel good
cms Common Sense Media Review
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Kirkus

On the face of it, a hug seems to be about the most natural thing in the world. But no, there is an art to it; everybody knows at least one person who doesn’t get it: who hugs too long or too tight or too lightly. So Macdonald weighs in with a hugging primer to ensure you have the basics in place. All of the hugging depicted is between kids and animals—except for babies: “Babies are born to be hugged”—which serves to make the act completely unthreatening, and Christy’s artwork is an admirable combination of feathery soft and scritchy-scratch, like hugging Auntie Flo in her cashmere and then having a brush with Uncle Mo’s whiskers. Most of the advice is well taken: Try not to freeze up, learn how to let go, don’t try to hug someone who’s angry or prickly and it’s OK to politely decline. But, “never try to hug too many people at once”? When did the good old group hug fall out of favor? About halfway through, the author runs out of pointers and falls back on different types of hugs, from leg hugs to sideways hugs to rock-hard hugs (that would be a turtle), which may be cute but also feels like aimless filler. Still, to hug is to open your heart and bespeak trust, all much in evidence here. (Picture book. 3-8)

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1--Macdonald asks readers to consider the ins and outs of hugging, including whom to hug (porcupines are too prickly, for instance), how, and when. The author offers good advice, such as, "Never hug anyone who's angry. It can take time to get over it, so just be patient." The book could be used for preschoolers learning to respect the personal space and boundaries of others. Christy's digitally rendered illustrations have a warm and fuzzy quality that enhances and elevates the text. The expressive kids' and animals' faces reinforce the moods and feelings depicted in each statement. Pair this book with Beth Shoshan's Cuddle! (Parragon, 2007) or Joanne Ryder's Won't You Be My Hugaroo? (Harcourt, 2006) for storytime, or to enjoy one-on-one.--Amy Commers, South St. Paul Public Library, MN

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Maryann MacDonald
Maryann Macdonald is the author of 25 books for children including The Christmas Cat, How to Hug, and The Pink Party. She lives in New York City. Rahele Jomepour Bell has an MFA in Integrated Visual Arts from Iowa State University and lives in Iowa. She is a recipient of the 2018 Illustration Mentorship from We Need Diverse Books.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781477816141
Lexile Measure
350
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Two Lions
Publication date
January 21, 2014
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039050 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emotions & Feelings
JUV002000 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | General
Library of Congress categories
Hugging

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