The Hug

Eoin was born in Ireland and now lives in Peckham with his wife and their baby. When he's not hugging them, he's writing more stories. This is his debut picture book, with many more in the pipeline.Polly Dunbar is one of the most popular illustrators working in the UK today. Her bestselling book, Penguin, won numerous awards including the BookTrust Early Years Award, the Nestlé Silver Children's Book Prize and the Red House Children's Book of the Year Award and was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal. She was also chosen as one of BookTrust's Ten Best illustrators.

Polly has illustrated books by David Almond, Michael Morpurgo and her mother, Joyce Dunbar. She is also the illustrator of The Hug and While We Can't Hug, written by Eoin McLaughlin and published by Faber. She created Tilly and Friends, now an animated series on CBeebies, and many of her other stories have been adapted for the stage. She is also co-founder of Long Nose Puppets, an award-winning theatre company. She lives in the Waveney Valley, Suffolk, with her family.

@pollydunbar

A beautiful, heartwarming picture book with all the universal appeal of Guess How Much I Love You.

Hedgehog was feeling sad.
As sad as a hedgehog can feel.
So sad only one thing could help . . .

Tortoise was feeling sad.
As sad as a tortoise can feel.
So sad only one thing could help . . .

In this clever flipbook, both a hedgehog and a tortoise are looking for a hug. They ask all the other animals they come across but for some reason no one will hug them. Until a wise owl explains: Hedgehog is too spiky; Tortoise is too bony.

And that's when they find each other!

'Feels like being enveloped in your very own hug.' Kirkus

'A smashing story time tale.' Books for Keeps

'It's utterly lovely. It makes her face light up every time she hears it.' The Guardian Best Books of 2019

A picture book to fall in love with this Valentine's Day