Hug?

by Charlene Chua

How many hugs is too many?After coughing up a hairball, a girl’s cat doesn’t feel well. She gives her cat a hug, which makes the cat feel much better. A dog notices and asks for a hug, too. And then some ducks come along. And a skunk . . . and a bear — and a porcupine! One animal after another asks the girl for a hug until she’s simply had enough. How much more of this can she take?Sometimes a hug is just what you need. And sometimes, it’s just NOT!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Storytime, Emotion, Humor, Fiction

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2020

About the author

Charlene Chua (pronounced: CHOO-ah) has illustrated many things over the years for kids of all ages.

Their illustration work has won several awards, while books she has illustrated have been nominated for OLA Forest of Reading, USBBY Outstanding International Books, OLA Best Bets, Shining Willow Award, and Kirkus Best books.

Charlene's author/illustrator debut, Hug? was published by Kids Can Press in 2020.

They are represented by Tracy Marchini at BookEnds Literary for all book projects.

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What just happened?
I mean what just happened?

I am so like hugging myself right now because of this book! This book made me feel like I was reading a really amazing comic strip! And wow it's so well done!

Who would have thought I would enjoy a mere few pages of beautifully illustrated children's picture book on hugs featuring all kinds of wild animals and a sweet little girl who ultimately freaks out because of others demanding too much hugs from her?!

Well, I DID!

As a Webtoons series addict, I raise all my ten fingers up to say that I approve of this book one hundred percent! The kids are already missing out on something this amazing! Grab the copy!

Thanks #NetGalley for the book!

[Essareh · Rating 4 out of 5]

بغلت کنم؟
نشر‌ پرتقال

یادم رفته بود به درحال خواندن‌ها اصافه‌ش کرده‌م. قبل شهریور خوندمش فکر کنم. محتواش اینه که بغل خوبه ولی نه وقتی بهمون احساس خوبی نمی‌ده.

ممنون که خوندید.💙

۱۸ شهریور ۱۴۰۴
خط چهار

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hugs? By Charlene Chua is the sweetest little book about the exciting and sometimes annoying nature of giving hugs!

Our little leading lady gives a lot of hugs! To her kitty when they don't feel well, to a dog who just wants a hug, and to many other creatures that come her way. Suddenly, creatures that aren't as huggable want hugs and our poor friend is feeling kind of worn out!

This book isn't educational, but it was very sweet. I can see very young kids enjoying this book to see all the animals. It can be a very interactive book if parents try to make it fun! There is probably some lesson about saying no and how hugs can make you feel good, so there is a way to make it educational!

I really like the illustrations. They had a soft yet simple feel. I feel like they fit the sweet nature of this book really well.

Overall, I really like this book! It's sugary sweet and totally worth the read! If you have kids that love picture books and animals, grab this book!

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for supplying me a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a simple little book without much of a story, but it's a cute take on the joys (and perils) of hugs. Perhaps the most valuable thing in it, aside from the sweet illustrations, is the message about consent.

A little girl is petting her cat when it throws up a hairball (as they do). It doesn't feel so good, so the girl asks if the cat would like a hug. Soon, everybody--from dogs to bears to porcupines--wants in on the hugging action, until the girl is so worn out from giving hugs that she doesn't feel so good herself. The tables then turn, with her cat asking if she would like a hug.

I like how everyone's asking for permission here. There are no uncomfortable, unwanted hugs (with the exception of when one of the animals tries to eat the cat). This book could be used as a springboard for a conversation about consent and personal boundaries.

The pictures are cute and the characters have great expressions. I've seen Chua's work before in Going Up! If you like her style, you'll find it's used to great effect here.

Overall, this is a strong picture book, even if the story is really more of an idea than a plot. But it works well for what it is, and it could help teach kids about consent in an easy-to-understand way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for providing a digital ARC.

[Joy (Books with Joy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The joys and perils of… hugs.” In Hug, we follow a young girl as she feels for a cat and offers it a hug… only to be constantly asked for hugs.

This book is a great introduction or conversation started on themes of consent and setting personal boundaries. This book can assist and reaffirm children who may have difficulty articulating their discomfort as this book notes the boundaries and reassures that saying ‘no’ is okay.

The illustration is engaging, bright, and so very adorable! I like how the art is simple yet evokes strong emotions as the story progresses. I also love how it depicts the girl slowly becoming more dishevelled and tired after giving endlessly.

The only aspect I with that could be more specifically addressed was the notion of attaining consent and setting firm boundaries. As the story progressed, the girl became more uncomfortable. Perhaps this could provide an opportunity for the adult to ask the child ‘what do you think and why?’.

This was a great read and I’d recommend this to parents looking for a book to start a discussion on consent and boundaries.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jeanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes a hug is just what you need. And sometimes.... It's just not!

A book about the joys and the not so joys of hugs. When we don't feel well, we could use a hug. One little girl got all kinds of hugs. From a cat which wasn't to bad to a porcupine. Sometimes hugs can be comforting and sometimes awkward. It's good to talk about those types of hugs and more. A silly look at hugs from all perspectives.

A Special Thank you to Kids Can Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Poongothai · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book on the joys of hugs. It also tells that sometimes, you may be too tired to give hugs and sometimes you may not feel for a hug and that is okay. The illustrations are bright and coulourful.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

To hug or not to hug that is the question? A compassionate little girl takes pity on her beloved kitty when it hacks up a hairball. She asks if he would like a hug? He, feeling ill, consents. When she cuddles him in a big hug her dog takes note and asks for a hug too. She readily complies and then along come some ducks, a skunk, a bear, a porcupine, a tiger, a unicorn ( who insists he's good and doesn't need one ), and a dragon, just to name a few, also wanting a hug! Wow! She is turning into a hugging machine. All those hugs leave her drained, exhausted and feeling empty... they just keep on coming.

"I don't feel well." she says.

Her adorable, sweet kitty approaches her and asks: "Do YOU want a hug?"

The book sparks discussions on boundaries, consent, and assuring yourself that it is okay to sometimes say no. It also shows the importance of self-care and looking after your own needs.

The illustrations are so well done and expressive. They enrich the meaning of the story so much. I love the message and how it is implemented. I highly recommend this book.

[Naomi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is cute, but I'm critical of the model of consent portrayed. When the child is asked for hug by increasingly un-huggable characters, she gets less and less willing, but they keep hugging and it is not until she is entirely overwhelmed that she says "stop." I could see this book as a good conversation starter, with an adult asking ""Should porcupine have gone ahead and hugged her when she said 'oh boy' instead of yes or no?" and "Do you think the tiger should have agreed to the conditions for a hug without keeping them?" But without an alert reader, this book leans towards teaching ONLY that "no means no" rather than the "only yes means yes" model that we as a society should strive for.

[Pooja Banga · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story shows how important hugs can be to our happiness --- even the most unlikely of creatures sometimes need one! --- but that doesn't mean they're always welcome. The book is full of laugh-out-loud moments, most of which are found in illustrations that vividly portray the girl's emotions as she grows more worn out with every encounter, encouraging visual literacy.


This story teaches us compassion ,empathy ,love and having pleasure in small things.


**Thankyou Netgalley and publisher for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review**

[Donna Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to be added to Amazon UK and US on 1st September 2020 - publication day!

I loved the idea and concept behind this book as a mum.

My daughter who has recently turned three really enjoyed it too, she loved the images and giggled at the story. She does ask for a lot of hugs at the moment too but when we ask her for a hug she does quite often say no - it has to be on her terms - so this was great at showing the different angles too.

It is 4 stars from me for this one - highly recommended!

[Radwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute little story about different animals and creatures asking a girl for a hug and how that tires her out but in the end when she's the one receiving the hug, it's so much better. It's really adorable.

I thank Netgalley and Kids Can Press for the digital ARC

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and funny, even a very small morale to it, but in the end it just felt too light for me to very like it. Sure I enjoy reading it, but would I recommend it... not sure. It was okay!

[Soumya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating - 4.5.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!! This was a funny and cute story about hugs. The pictures are great. I will recommend to the library to get for our collection. #NetGalley

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full RTC but absolutely delightful and charming.

[Jess Smiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read-aloud for little ones (and their readers) who enjoy a good squeeze. Fun illustrations and perfect pacing.

[Debbie Ohi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading Charlene Chua's debut picture book, HUG. *LOVE*! This isn't just about hugs; it's about knowing when to set boundaries while still being kind. Hilarious (I laughed out loud at the tiger scene) but also with moving moments and a thoroughly satisfying ending. Highly recommended.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hugs Can Be Complicated

This is a silly and fun little book about hugs. When we usually think about hugging, it is a pleasant and mutually beneficial activity. But the little girl in this book discovers something quite different. The story begins with the girl’s pet cat not feeling so well, and a little girl offers a hug. Having seen this hug, other animals nearby—and there appears to be quite a menagerie—start asking for hugs as well. This appears to be okay at first until animals like a skunk and a porcupine show up! The only animal who doesn't seem to want a hug is a somewhat arrogant unicorn who passes her by. After all the hugs, including the difficult ones, the little girl isn't feeling so well herself. So then her cat offers her a hug. The book ends with the unicorn getting a little payback (nothing too serious). The illustrations of this book are detailed and colorful. The book would definitely be visually appealing to a young child. The book is certainly very silly at times, especially as the hugs get weirder and weirder. The looks on the little girl’s face could evoke laughter alone. If your child enjoys that kind of humor, she or he may enjoy this book.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an e-galley of this book from Kids Can Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In Hug?, a young girl asks her cat if she would like a hug when she is not feeling well. That sets off a chain of events as more and more creatures show up wanting hugs as well. Finally, the young girl has had enough and is overwhelmed by the requests.

I really liked the concept of the book - and the illustrations And imagination are both fun and amusing. The dialogue within the story is simple enough for young readers to follow along. The only thing that I’m not sure gets across as well as it needs to be is the message of it. The idea of needing to ask for permission to hug someone and not demand it. The end of the book does seem to convey these message after the girl is overwhelmed and her cat asks her if she needs a hug, but for younger readers, it may be up to older readers to have a discussion about what happens in the story. There is definitely a lot of potential in the story book, the illustrations are adorable and it can be a great platform to use to have meaningful discussions about compassion and consent.

[Storytime With Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hugs are the best! They really make everything better...or do they. In her exciting author debut HUG! artist Charlene Chua explores how hugs can sometimes make you feel better and sometimes not.

When you are feeling upset a hug can cheer you up but what happens if all of a sudden you are the one giving all of the hugs and not getting any in return? It can be so exhausting to always be giving and not receiving in return. This concept is so interesting and fantastic to explore in a children’s book, plus makes for some laugh out loud moments. We read this book over and over and it was still funny each time. Charlene Chua creates a whole cast of animals who need hugs, some who are soft and cuddly and some who are not so much. We also loved how on each page you got a little hint of which animal was coming in for a hug next, building anticipation and humour into the story.

We love Charlene’s art and the books she has illustrated are counted amongst some of our favourites. Her use of space and colour is captivating and entertaining! HUG! gets 5 stars from this family and we are confident this book will be beloved in early years classrooms and homes all over the country.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am glad that these books are written for kids because I didn't think there was much to this one, but my granddaughter loved it. The idea Sometimes a hug is just what you need. And sometimes.... It's just not! The young girl in the story gave her cat a hug after he spit up a hairball, then her dog wanted a hug, some ducks and so on. My granddaughter laughed when the skunk and porcupine got hugs and told me what happened. We went through this book several times, with her laughing each time, even though she knew what was going to happen. The illustrations are hilarious. We loved them and she kept pointing things out to me on each page. After we finished, I talked to her about when not to give hugs. Of course she said not to skunks or dragons, but we also talked about strangers and people she didn't know. Another winner for us. The publisher gifted me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the digital review copy.

This book is a cute and funny delve into the wonderful world of hugs and how it can sometimes be dangerous. At the beginning of the book, kitty isn’t feeling well and wants a hug. Soon all the other animals want hugs too. At first everything is going pretty well, but when a skunk, porcupine, and bear all want dangerous hugs, it can lead to hug burnout, unless, of course, kitty is the one giving the hugs.

The book is very short, super cute, and would be great for storytime with very young children. They can identify the animals and match some of the sounds they might make. There aren’t too many words, but the pictures are descriptive and encourage sound effects.

This one is out in September, so keep an eye out for it at your local bookstore or library.

[AnneKR · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute, well-illustrated picture book about a little girl’s cat who doesn’t feel well so she asks if the cat would like a hug. The cat says yes which unknowingly brings a long line of animals who sees the hug and would like one as well.

The story has repetitive words on most of the pages, making it easy for my 5 year old daughter to read the book to me. The pictures held her attention and she loved seeing so many different animals (domestic & wild) wanting hugs. I like how the animals waited in line for their turn, asked for hugs & waited for the little girl’s response. All of this provided some good reminders and teaching moments for my daughter.

Thank you Netgalley and Kids Can Press for the opportunity to read a copy.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amusing little piece, with a young girl happy to give a hug to her pet cat when it feels icky, but who doesn't realise that it will lead to everything else needing a hug, including the local skunk, a passing porcupine, and possibly even a unicorn. It's a pleasant way to pass a couple of minutes, but I think it's a bit of a one-joke book, that therefore won't be taken off the shelf too often. It's certainly enjoyable, though – and I suppose you could hang discussion of bodily contact, permission etc on it, if you must spoil the fun. Four stars is a touch generous, but it's a friendly book, so I'm being so, too.

[Larissa Marantz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlene Chua makes her debut as an author/illustrator with this adorably sweet book about connecting with others, learning boundaries, and being compassionate. HUG? features a cast of comical creatures who are all asking for a hug, with humorous responses from a young girl who concedes at each simple request, but with escalating repercussions. The book features a simple and straight forward story with expressive and appealing characters. Kids will enjoy multiple readings and may relate to the main character when in situations where speaking ones mind and being ok with keeping ones personal boundaries are difficult to express.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would make a great tag yourself meme. I'm the unicorn FOR SURE.

Oh right, this is a book for children, not just adults that totally love adorable, funny picture books with charming illustrations and extremely relatable problems, even if you're 36 years old, not 4 years old.

Even though this book technically is about a hug on pretty much every page, Chua manages to bring the humor, tension, and climax of any great story. Children will love the different types of hugs and the escalating problems the main character encounters. Chua's illustrations are SO ADORABLE YOU WANT TO HUG EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, even if you are not normally the hugging type.

[Laurie Hnatiuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for a digital eArc of this book.

A cat coughs up a hairball and proceeds to say to the girl that he is not feeling well. The girl asks if the cat would like a hug, and he replies, yes. Animal after animal – come asking for a hug until a unicorn comes by and she asks if it too would like a hug and replies, no, I’m good. The little girl continues to be accosted by various animals for a hug until she finally has had enough and yells.

A humorous looking at boundaries and personal space, asking for something and being okay to reply No. Lots of variety of animals and expressive illustrations will make this one a fun read-aloud.

[Eule Luftschloss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cat doesn't feel that well. Do they want a hug?

Our unnamed protagonist starts giving out hugs. Hugs are great! Hugs are awesome! ...until they're not.

This book is a great way to teach someone about consent, boundaries and emotional exhaustion. It's show, don't tell. There is no narrator, simply a person wanting to do something nice for a friend and having to learn how to say no.

I liked this, both in idea and implementation.

I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Literature Lattes · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Hug?" by Charlene Chua is a darling and comical book about a little girl who gives hugs to a whole host of animals. Each animal sees another animal being hugged and wants to get one too. The cast of characters waiting to be hugged is diverse, fun and engaging for readers of all ages! We particularly loved the Unicorn! The message is great for young children and the book allows for multiple opportunities to stop and discuss the different species interested in hugging. The wonderful illustrations were amazing too which was an added bonus. We loved this book and will be purchasing a copy!