Monday, April 09, 2007

Hug Time



Preview season is upon us, it seems, and my fabu colleague picked up some picture book arcs from Little Brown and Co.

Hug Time, by Patrick McDonnell immediately captured my heart.

Jules wants to make the world better, and decides that the best way to do so is by hugging the whole world. After making his "Hug To-Do List", he sets off.

Jules starts with his best friend, and then branches out to butterflies, buttercups and squirrels. This is simply not enough hugging, so Jules takes off for far flung places. He hugs in Africa, and India, Australia...he even goes to the North Pole.

In sing song verse with whimsical watercolour illustrations, McDonnell makes the point that, "The world is so big...And yet so small, It's time that we embrace it all." There's a lesson we all can learn from. Heartwarming and sweet, Hug Time is a guaranteed winner with preschoolers and world weary 4th graders as well.

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