HUG ME LITTLE PUPPY

A finger-puppet board book celebrates the love between a puppy and a dog.

Two fairly long, adult-sized finger-puppet dog “arms” are affixed to the back and extend through die-cut holes so that the reader can manipulate them on each page. The text suggests actions: “My arms are always ready to play. I’ll toss, you fetch!” On the page opposite the adult dog with arms outstretched, a puppy romps, stick in mouth. The last page is perhaps the sweetest, as the arms wrap around the puppy for a hug. The text is simple and straightforward, describing dog activities through the lens of a human caregiver-child relationship: “My arms say good morning each day with a hug and a squeeze,” and “My arms carry you to your warm bed,” for example. The smiling brown dogs are drawn simply and plainly against a solid-colored background. The fuzzy finger-puppet arms themselves have a surprising amount of detail, with spots and paw pad features. On some of the pages, it’s awkward to move the arms in such a way that it makes sense with the illustration, but little ones probably will not cavil.

Finger-puppet fun, sure, but otherwise forgettable.