Three reasons for more hugs:
1.
Scott Campbell’s The Hug Machine (Simon and Schuster ages 2-4) succeeded with Catie! I can’t wait to share this book when I see her next. If you missed the original write-up if this book, here’s the blog post: http://ignitingwriting.com/gmacatiebookclub/books-come-alive
2.
I discovered Simon and Schuster is celebrating Hug a Book Week from September 6-14
and has posted a bunch of cool activities to help you celebrate hugging:
http://pages.simonandschuster.com/images/ckfinder/26/pdfs/HugMachineActivities.pdf
3.
And another new discovery… a wonderful new hug book that I’m quickly popping in the mail to Catie and Zach. Phillis Gershator and Mim Green’s Time for a Hug (Sterling, ages 1-3) is newly available in board book. The rhyming verses follow a small bunny through a hug-rich day.
“Wake up! Wake up! The day is new. The clock says eight. What shall we do?” After morning rituals of washing, combing hair, choosing clothes, and eating breakfast comes the question that becomes a refrain throughout the book: “What time is it?” And the answer? “Time for a hug! A hug feels good. Let’s hug again. We’ll hug at nine. We’ll hug at ten.” David Walker’s illustrations show the pleasure and warmth in every single embrace (and there are many) exchanged throughout the busy day.
Stylistically and structurally this small book is written like a big hug. There is reassurance in the comforting cadences and refrains. That hug-like feeling is also apparent in authors’ depiction of the reliable rhythms of time as the small bunny shows you can count on the fact that every busy day is filled with active routines that gradually slow to calm when evening comes and there’s one last giant hug.
