A HUG IS FOR HOLDING ME

A young girl compares hugs to things found in nature as she explores with her dad.

“A speckled egg can be a hug / nestled in a tree. // Eggs hold hatchlings / warm and snug. / Your hug is for / holding me.” Feng’s soft, pastel-colored illustrations show the father lifting the girl up to see the nest; the next page presents a close-up of their faces, full of wonder, as they see the mother bird and one egg cracked open to reveal the baby. But it won’t be quite as easy for young children to make some of the other connections, as the metaphors are not as strong as in Wheeler’s earlier Babies Can Sleep Anywhere (2017). Still, if the metaphors are obscure, the sentiment rings true. A cocoon is a hug; a page turn reveals a field of butterflies: “Your hug amazes me.” A flower bud holds the bloom: “Your hug feels safe to me.” And a seashell is a hug for the animals that may live in it: “Your hug is home to me.” The final two spreads revisit the comparisons: “Your hug was made / for holding me… // my hug is for holding YOU!” Feng’s artwork is lovely, stylized flora and fauna filling the pages, and the love between the two is evident. Both father and daughter have light skin, straight black hair, and rosy cheeks.

Be prepared to take a walk in nature looking for hugs after sharing this one.