Book picks similar to
The Hug by Eoin McLaughlin


picture-books
picture-book
animals
friendship

How to Heal a Broken Wing


Bob Graham - 2008
    With the help of his sympathetic mother, he gently wraps the injured bird and takes it home. In classic Bob Graham style, the beauty is in the details: the careful ministrations with an eyedropper, the bedroom filled with animal memorabilia, the saving of the single feather as a good-luck charm for the bird's return to the sky. Wistful and uplifting, here is a tale of possibility -- and of the souls who never doubt its power.

I Just Ate My Friend


Heidi McKinnon - 2017
    The search for a true friend is something everyone can relate to - from the very young to the very old.I just ate my friend. He was a good friend. But now he is gone. Would you be my friend?A hilarious story about the search for friendship and belonging... and maybe a little bit about the importance of impulse control... from an amazing new creator.

XO, OX: A Love Story


Adam Rex - 2017
    You are so graceful and fine. Even when you are running from tigers you are like a ballerina who is running away from tigers.I think that what I'm trying to say is that I love you.XO,OX"And so begins an epic, if initially unrequited, love affair between a graceful gazelle and a clumsy, hapless ox. Romance will never be the same.Adam Rex's hilarious, sweet, and at times heartbreaking letters between a hopelessly romantic ox and a conceited, beautiful gazelle is paired perfectly with Scott Campbell's joyful illustrations to bring you a romance for the ages.

How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You?


Jane Yolen - 2009
    Even when little dinosaurs are naughty, it's important to remind them that no matter what they do, they are always loved. In this book, readers will laugh aloud as parents cope with the typical antics of childhood, but in the end, hugs and kisses show your little one how much you care.

Music for Mister Moon


Philip C. Stead - 2019
    But when a noisy owl disrupts her solitude, Harriet throws her teacup out the window and accidentally knocks the moon out of the sky in frustration. Over the course of an evening, Harriet and the moon become fast friends. Worried that he'll catch a chill, Harriet buys the moon a soft woolen hat, then takes him on a boat ride across a glistening lake, something he's only dreamed of. But can she work up the courage to play her music for the moon?

Love


Matt de la Pena - 2018
    "In the beginning there is light and two wide-eyed figures standing near the foot of your bed and the sound of their voices is love....A cab driver plays love softly on his radiowhile you bounce in back with the bumps of the city and everything smells new, and it smells like life."In this heartfelt celebration of love, Matt de la Peña and illustrator Loren Long depict the many ways we experience this universal bond, which carries us from the day we are born throughout the years of our childhood and beyond. With a lyrical text that's soothing and inspiring, this tender tale is a needed comfort and a new classic that will resonate with readers of every age.

Orion and the Dark


Emma Yarlett - 2014
    So one night the Dark decides to take Orion on an adventure.

Gustavo, the Shy Ghost


Flavia Z. Drago - 2020
    Drago about finding the courage to make friends is perfect for the spooky season — or anytime.Gustavo is good at doing all sorts of ghostly things: walking through walls, making objects fly, and glowing in the dark. And he loves almost nothing more than playing beautiful music on his violin. But Gustavo is shy, and some things are harder for him to do, like getting in a line to buy eye scream or making friends with other monsters. Whenever he tries getting close to them, he realizes they just can’t see him. Now that the Day of the Dead is fast approaching, what can he do to make them notice him and to share with them something he loves? With fancifully detailed artwork and visual humor, debut picture-book creator Flavia Z. Drago’s vivid illustrations tell a sweet and gently offbeat story of loneliness, bravery, and friendship that is sure to be a treat for little ghouls and goblins everywhere.

Who Done It?


Olivier Tallec - 2014
    Sharp eyes and keen observation are necessary. There's only one right answer, and it's not always easy! Kids will love learning early concepts like expressions and positions as a natural consequence of their hunt for clues in the details of the lineup. It's a book for all audiences: the seek-and-find call to action on every page makes Who Done It? a wonderful lap or parent read, while the whimsical art, distinctive horizontal format, and hip exposed board ensures this book will be equally appealing as engaging coffee table décor.

Frog on a Log?


Kes Gray - 2014
    Cats sit on mats, hares sit on chairs, mules sit on stools, gophers sit on sofas, and frogs sit on logs."Each animal's designated seat rhymes with that animal's name. "It's not about being comfortable," explains the cat. "It's about doing the right thing."The frog does not want to sit on a log. Doing his best to find an alternative place to sit, the frog asks the cat a litany of questions. For every answer the cat has, the frog has another question--until the frog finds out what dogs sit on!Peppered with catchy rhymes, Frog on a Log? shows young readers that every animal has a special place to sit. With rhymes that are reminiscent of Dr. Seuss's beginner books, Frog on a Log? is a fun, educational read-aloud story that helps teach phonics!

A Hat for Mrs. Goldman: A Story About Knitting and Love


Michelle Edwards - 2016
    Mrs. Goldman always knits hats for everyone in the neighborhood, and Sophia, who thinks knitting is too hard, helps by making the pom-poms. But now winter is here, and Mrs. Goldman herself doesn’t have a hat—she’s too busy making hats for everyone else! It’s up to Sophia to buckle down and knit a hat for Mrs. Goldman. But try as Sophia might, the hat turns out lumpy, the stitches aren’t even, and there are holes where there shouldn’t be holes. Sophia is devastated until she gets an idea that will make Mrs. Goldman’s hat the most wonderful of all. Readers both young and old will relate to Sophia’s frustrations, as well as her delight in making something special for someone she loves.A knitting pattern is included in the back of the book.

Sheila Rae, the Brave


Kevin Henkes - 1987
    Just because Sheila Rae is older, she doesn't always know better!This classic picture book about overcoming fear is written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes, the nationally bestselling and celebrated creator of Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Owen, and Kitten's First Full Moon."I am very brave," Sheila Rae said, patting herself on the back. She wasn't afraid of anything—not thunder, not lightning, not the big black dog at the end of the block. And when she wanted to walk home a new way and Louise wouldn't, she called her sister a scaredy-cat and set out alone. But all the bravado in the world failed to help when Sheila Rae found herself lost. Luckily, her sister was not far behind."Children will love it."—School Library Journal

Pup and Bear


Kate Banks - 2017
     You are not my mother, said the wolf pup. I am not your mother, said the polar bear, but I can cuddle you and keep you safe.Here is a picture book that celebrates differences and promotes kindness, sure to resonate with the many fans of the beloved classic, Mama Do You Love Me? During the ice melt that follows an Arctic winter, a wolf cub finds himself spinning out to sea on a sheet of ice. He awakes lost and alone to an unfamiliar smell: a polar bear. And while the polar bear is not the wolf's mother, she takes him on her back to her den, where she feeds him, keeps him warm, and does everything a mother would do. Time passes, the cub grows into a wolf, and soon it's time for him to venture out into the wide world alone. Years later, the now grown wolf comes upon a tiny lost polar bear cub--and the cycle begins again. With poetic prose this beautiful picture book about the love and kindness of a stranger is sure to touch a deep chord, particularly with parents and children who have found each other in unexpected ways.

Dogger


Shirley Hughes - 1977
    "Warmly satisfying....Hughes has a way of zeroing in on the foibles of childhood with remarkable accuracy; this doesn't miss its mark."--Booklist.

Herman and Rosie


Gus Gordon - 2012
    This is a tale about a big city.It's a tale of hotdogs and music and the summertime subway breeze.It's a tale of singing on rooftops and toffees that stick to your teeth.But most of all, it's the tale of Herman and Rosie.'Quirky, soulful and alive . . . a book to treasure, like a favourite song.' Markus Zusak