Everybody Deserves a Hug

Everybody Deserves a Hug is a 32 page, full-color, 8x10 children's picture book. It delivers a timeless, universal message of love, kindness, understanding, and inclusion. Endearing and warm rhyming text amplifies the vivid and striking color illustrations created by his designer/illustrator daughter, Renée. The illustrations exude the joy and hope exhibited by the book's whimsical characters. From the first spread of the book: "Everybody deserves a hug; A loving squeeze, an inward tug." This picture book by a father-daughter team features adorable monsters sharing friendly hugs. As furry and multihued monsters demonstrate warm embraces, the rhyming narration defines hugs as "a loving squeeze, an inward tug." No matter what size or age, no matter the season, the narrator continues, everyone wants to be held sometimes. The poem goes on to describe different types of positive actions: helping a young child to stand, cuddling in a group, sharing a smile or laugh, showing what makes each individual unique, being respectful, needing to cry, and even letting people have their own space. The inclusion of the last is an important balance to an otherwise high-contact work, especially for youngsters who may not like hugs as much as their peers. Renée Snelson's cartoonish monsters all have long eyelashes, heart-shaped noses, shaggy fur in a wide variety of beautifully tinted colors, and expressive tails. The dynamic images show plenty of action as well as an assortment of loving embraces. Doug Snelson's rhymes scan well, although a few take the imagery astray or use a metaphor that might go over the heads of the youngest readers: "Everybody needs to love. / Around the world, follow the dove." "Lap cuddlers listening to this sweet read-aloud will get all the snuggles they need." -- Kirkus Reviews "This book offers a very creative way to send a hug to grandchildren or others at a distance, to let them know that sooner or later, real hugs will be possible again..." -- Dolores Long, "Gotta Love It"