I Need a Hug

by Aaron Blabey

Everyone needs a hug in this new, irresistibly funny board book from Aaron Blabey, the bestselling creator of Pig the Pug!

In I Need a Hug, a tiny porcupine just wants a cuddle. All of the other animals turn him away because of his prickly spikes. But finally the porcupine meets an animal who's happy to hug -- a snake!



Rich with author-illustrator Aaron Blabey's signature rhyming text and unforgettably splendid illustrations, I Need a Hug is a sweet story about friendship and learning not to judge a book by its cover.



Perfect for Valentine's Day or any day that requires a hug!

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

22 pages, Board Book

First published December 1, 2015

About the author

Aaron is an Australian author of children's books and artist who until the mid-2000s was also an actor. His award winning picture books include Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley, The Ghost of Miss Annabel Spoon and the best-selling Pig the Pug.

In the field of acting, he is probably best known for his lead roles in two television dramedies, 1994's The Damnation of Harvey McHugh, for which he won an Australian Film Institute Award, and 2003's CrashBurn, before retiring from performance in 2005.

Reviews

[Jillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

ETA: On my first read, I liked this book, and so did my students. But on a deeper read, some problematic issues came to the forefront. While it was entertaining for my students, after a more critical look, we had to stop and have a discussion on consent in the middle of the book.
1st: If you want a hug, great. Ask for one. Buy why does the porcupine ask for a "cuddle"? It seems that may cross into uncomfortable territory.
2nd: After being told no by several animals, the porcupine states that they are being unkind. My students and I had to discuss that it is not inherently unkind to tell someone no when they ask for a hug. They could understand that they *way* in which the animals said no may have been mean, but we needed to emphasize that saying no is your right when someone asks for physical contact.
And then the ending with the snake asking for a kiss made them all laugh, but for others it make them groan with "ewww"s.
Not sure the humor is translating correctly from an Australian audience to an American one, especially in the #metoo era.

[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Need a Hug. Don't we all?! OK, so today was library day!!! Recently I was told about the wonder that is Aaron Blabey by my awesome librarians and how popular his books are with the kids the librarians read to. So I figure if it's good enough for the kiddies, then it's good enough for me and my librarians haven't pointed me in the wrong direction yet so I'm currently in possession of the first batch of Blabey books I ordered last week.

So, our sweet but prickly porcupine needs a hug so she asks her friends for one. They all run away screaming, scared of her spikes. Feeling dejected, our porcupine is still in need of a hug. All of the illustrations are gorgeous but the final one could surely melt the icicles encasing the coldest heart. Just goes to show that if we look beyond someone's spiky exterior they may very well be hugworthy after all.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a problem with a sad porcupine saying he needs a hug, then asking others to cuddle. He calls them unkind when they run away from him. Same with a snake who asks for a kiss. Hugging someone who is sad isn't a bad thing, but it's confusing when he follows it by needing to cuddle. If a stranger, or even an acquaintance for that matter, asked me to cuddle or kiss, I'd run far away too. I do want kids to say no to someone who asks them to do something that makes them uncomfortable.

[Mr. Cody · Rating 3 out of 5]

You and me both, hedgehog....(I want a hug too)

[Beth]

As others have pointed out, while this book is meant to be humorous, there is a consent issue here because the porcupine asks others to "cuddle" him and when they say no, he says they're being unkind. This would be a good book to discuss boundaries and consent with kids and making sure they understand that adults should not be forcing them to hug anyone, even relatives, if they don't want to.

[Shallowreader VaVeros · Rating 5 out of 5]

You say porcupine, I say echidna.

I love this book. Ever so funny

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

An adorable book for all ages to showcase love and kindness.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little porcupine asks each of his woodland friends for a hug in this latest picture-book offering from Australian author/artist Aaron Blabey, the creator of the Pig the Pug picture-books and the The Bad Guys series of comic books/beginning chapter-books. Unfortunately, the other animals have no interest in hugging so prickly a character, until our hystricine hero encounters someone who is also having trouble finding a little love...

The premise of I Need a Hug - that a porcupine has trouble getting any love, because the other creatures are put off by his spines - is one that is reminiscent of a number of other picture-books I have read, from Laurie Isop's How Do You Hug a Porcupine? to Holly Hobbie's Elmore . The narrative here is simple - just the back-and-forth dialogue between the porcupine and the other characters - and the artwork humorous. I don't know that I found this one as humorous as some of Blabey's others, but I did appreciate the ending, which brings in another kind of animal (a snake) that has trouble finding affection. This author seems to specialize in such creatures, if one goes by his The Bad Guys books. Recommended to Aaron Blabey fans, and to anyone looking for fun new picture-books.

[Linda Patchett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A porcupine politely asks a rabbit, next an elk, and then a bear for a hug and snuggle. But they all run loudly from the opportunity. Then a snake who wants a kiss appears on the scene! Such a fun story to read to 2 to 5/6 years olds. The rhyming narrative and fun action words add to the charm and learning. Engaging and clean illustrations with plenty of blank space are drawn in cartoonish fashion with strokes of compassion and realism. Excellent storytime read for the themes of kindness and friendship as well as misunderstood animals and how they protect themeselves. I paired it with Hugs for Pearl by Paul Schmid where the main character is also a porcupine with the same problem...hard to hug. Though, unlike Blabey's porcupine, Pearl's friends suffer her hugs. I Need a Hug is sweet and funny. Children will enjoy predicting what will happen next and enjoy the aww cuddly ending.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 4th and 5th graders love Aaron Blakey’s Bad Guys graphic novel series and I thoroughly enjoyed his presentation at Scholastic’s dessert event at the 2017 Texas Library Association, so when my Book Fair arrived with a large number of his picture books, I sat down with a stack. With its prickly but adorable hedgehog and bold lettering, “I Want a Hug” is a great book for the toddler through kindergarten crowd. Adults reading aloud to their small fry listeners will have ample opportunity to use goofy voices as Hedgehog declares his need for a hug and is clearly refused by various forest residents. Discussions about feelings are sure to follow. Loved this one.

[MeganRuth - Alohamora Open a Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah, I had forgotten how much I love this book. It's so sweet, simple, and funny. It makes me laugh and want to snuggle and hug my loved ones. The simplicity and humor would make this a great storytime read aloud, but it's also a fun parent/child read as well.

Focus: social interactions, emotions, print awareness (speech bubbles), and more.

Ages: toddlers up to elementary aged kiddos will enjoy this book.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite preschoolers requested this book at storytime before lunch. I enjoyed reading a book about what is not just a wish for a hug but a need for physical contact. I didn't see it as being about how you can't say no to a request for a hug. I'm glad this preschool program supports positive teacher and student contact like hugs.

[Dev · Rating 4 out of 5]

So very cute and also rhymes! Hooray! This book brought to mind these Kimya Dawson lyrics (song is Tree Hugger):

And the rattlesnake said
"I wish I had hands so
I could hug you like a man"
And then the cactus said
"Don't you understand
My skin is covered with sharp spikes
That'll stab you like a thousand knives.
A hug would be nice
But hug my flower with your eyes."

<3

[Jack Herbert Christal Gattanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of cute, but it's the thought that counts the most.

That final page where the snake and porcupine hug bumps this thin volume up a star. If I know a little kid who needs a gift this would be a fun one.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect book for a "hugs and kisses" storytime for babies and toddlers. The pictures are really cute and the text sparse enough that I didn't loose them. A coworker of mine said that the topic has been done to death (of porcupines looking for love), but this was great for what I needed it for.

[Michelle (FabBookReviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooh, this is a good one! Clever and funny, with a dose of sweetness and a porcupine to root for. The ending is terrific.

This is a definitely a new one to try out at storytime!

[Stefanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to implement porcupine storytime with this and Elmore.

[Deja Bertucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaron Blabey is one of my favs.

[Tracy Holland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable story about a porcupine needing a hug, and some love... no one wants to give him a hug, except... one equally dangerous animal.

[Anissa Papadakos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book ever
My daughter and I loved it

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the illustrations. This little porcupine in need of a hug proves there is always someone to provide that hug, along with some love. Lots of repetition and rhyming.

[Grace Huey · Rating 5 out of 5]

No help needed: cuddle, minute, changed, lovely

Help needed: prickly

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much as I love the idea of the porcupine looking for an affectionate friend, it's a little awkward when he then turns it on them as being "unkind" when they don't want to cuddle. Big difference about hugging and cuddling, and if they don't want to, that's well within their own rights (not a big hugger myself). Maybe they'd have found other ways to be kind if the little porcupine had let them. I did like him bonding with snake at the end, two animals with similar unlovable circumstances finding support with each other.

As a picture book read, it's a good one. Text is clear, and the rhyme flows. The speech bubbles are great practice for preschoolers. I might pull it out for a friendship storytime and talk about ways we show friends we care (hugging being only one, right?)

[Heather McC · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very polite porcupine earns for some companionship and can't seem to catch a break, until a new friend pops in.

[Nohemí González · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really cute book and shows that it's difficult but we always found somebody that can be by our side

[Elin Ravnås · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lite tekst, men mye innhold å samtale om.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is so sweet. I love the characters human names! And it is so sweet that snake and echidna (or is it a hedgehog?) have a cuddle together at the end. Bugger the other animals.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS. IS. ABSOLUTELY. ADORABLE!!!!!
The animals also have human names - Lou, Kevin, Moe - Which makes this story even more comical.

[Angélica · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Blabey's illustration style. But the story itself has been done before... and done better. I'm disappointed.