From Booklist In this bedtime countdown story, lovable little Lucy borrows her mom’s “last hug” and shares it with each family member, promising to return it before she sleeps. Packed with action verbs, Bland’s text is appealingly extended in the scribbly lined mixed-media illustrations, which follow Lucy across the pages as she moves around the house, upstairs and down. As she hugs each successive family member, Lucy observes that each hug is different but “just as nice.” The final spread, displaying the full house, evokes Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon in its quiet lull after simple bedtime routines and a full round of good-nights. A sure hit for bedtime, this warm picture book, with its inventive cross section views of domestic life, also encourages spatial recognition. Preschool-Grade 1. --Annie Miller Read more About the Author NICK BLAND began his award-winning career in 2005 with A Monster Wrote Me a Letter and has since published fourteen books and counting. Nick considers himself a writer who can draw a bit and is eternally grateful he can do both, because there is nothing that can't be said when the two are combined. He lives a ferry ride from Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory, where he gives plenty of hugs to family and friends, but never to the local crocodiles. FREYA BLACKWOOD's illustrations have won numerous awards, including the Kate Greenaway Medal—which recognizes the best children's book illustrations published in the United Kingdom—for her work in Harry and Hopper. For The Runaway Hug, Freya didn't have to do much research to illustrate Lucy's world. Her daughter provided all the reference she needed to create the clutter of a lived-in and well-loved home. Freya's lives in Orange, New South Wales, Australia. Read more
J**R
Family favorite!
Condition as described. The slightest wear in the spine. The story is simple and affectionate. An ideal bed time story, with a goodnight kiss at the end. The illustrations are marvelous! They reveal the lived-in home of a family of six (+the dog!) and a bonus image of the whole household after the children are in bed, complete with parents snuggling on the couch with a breastfeeding baby.
R**B
Great bedtime book.
A great book for bedtime reading. My Niece loves it.
M**O
Five Stars
Adorable book!
T**G
Fantastic. Cutest little book ever
Fantastic. Cutest little book ever. Grandkids love it. Will be an alltime favorite
S**Y
Perfect bedtime story about family love
In this book, Lucy gets her mom's last available hug before bed. Lucy runs through the house and shares that last hug with each of her family members including the dog. The dog, unfortunately runs away with the hug and Lucy must chase her down to get it back before settling in for the night.This is a beautiful bed time story full of love. It depicts the chaos of a typical busy family, but shows the thread of love that holds them all together. I love the last scene where all the kids are in bed and mom and dad are on the couch having together time. It makes one want to sigh and say, "That is how it should be..."The illustrations are colorful and a bit chaotic. This would be a perfect bedtime story to share with any little one.
S**A
Great bedtime story!
When Lucy's mother gives Lucy her last hug, she promises to keep it safe. As she runs throughout her house, sharing the hug with others and taking it back to pass along to the next person, the hug changes but never loses its magic. When Lucy's dog runs away with the hug, she worries she'll never catch it again, but it will soon be safe and sound with Lucy's mother again! Minimal text with fun and soft illustrations make THE RUNAWAY HUG a great bedtime book!
B**T
Sweet bedtime story
We got this book as part of a story box and it was love at first read! The story is simple and sweet. I love how the illustrations show a realistic home that's just a little on the messy side. This has quickly become a family favorite!
L**M
... at the library at first and quickly fell in love. It's a sweet story with beautiful illustrations
We randomly found this at the library at first and quickly fell in love. It's a sweet story with beautiful illustrations, featuring a real-to-life family that looks just like ours. Including the face-licking dog : ) As a parents, I always appreciate a book that we can read 10 times a day and not get tired of.
