Tortoise is busy - places to go and rocks to climb - but after getting stuck upside-down, Tortoise’s frustration reaches boiling point and all Tortoise can do is shout in sheer exasperation. Not even a hug from Hedgehog will solve this problem. Luckily Owl is on hand with some wise words; “…to cheer someone up, you must try to understand what they are feeling”.
Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar have once again created a stunningly sweet and simple story for the current times. We meet our friends Hedgehog and Tortoise, this time practising patience and learning that some of the best things in life are undoubtedly worth the wait. This book builds on the wisdom from While We Can’t Hug and makes these powerful lessons very approachable for younger readers.
Best friends, Hedgehog and Tortoise, are sad. They miss being able to give each other a great big hug. Owl tells them you can show someone you love them in many other ways. Firstly, Hedgehog waves to Tortoise, resulting in a smile from Tortoise. Then, Tortoise pulls a funny face which causes Hedgehog to laugh. They send letters and share activities. Even though they cannot touch, these friends still know that they are loved.
Although at first glance The Hug appears to be a simple story, a complexity of humour and emotion is conveyed throughout, both verbally and non-verbally. The story revolves around the difficulty of getting a hug if you are a hedgehog or a tortoise with a very hard shell. It is told through the format of a flip book, which shows the apparently separate stories of two animals, both of whom are looking for a hug. Following the journey of one will lead to the story of the other, with a dramatic meeting in the middle.
Plunkett the Pig receives an invitation to his friend Priscilla’s party. The only problem is the theme of the party – pink! And Plunkett has decided that he simply will not wear pink. ‘Nothing or no one will make me wear pink!’ he declares – and so begins a philosophical adventure of sorts as Plunkett muses on the notion of identity and appearance, and whether there could be one shade of pink that is perfect, for a boy or a girl pig. Will Plunkett find true love, whatever his colour, however he looks?
