While We Can't Hug (Hedgehog & Friends) Paperback – June 25, 2020

Anyone of any age can appreciate this tale of how friends stay friends and show they care from a distance. It will remain meaningful even as this particular separation wanes, for surely there are as many ways to be a friend as there are friends.

Super book but please also get THE HUG which is the first book. These books have a sweet simple message that we all need to hear.Enjoy!

I like the simple and sweet message and illustrations.

A lovely, warm and comforting book. Beautiful illustrations. This is a lovely way to show children that there are many ways to express love and kindness. Beautiful.

A sweet book for little ones during these trying times. Add a song & movements for a satisfying preschool/ kindergarten lesson.

I am going to record myself reading this to send to my baby cousins so they can listen to me read them a story at bedtime.

Appropriate for the times!

The illustrations and words in this children’s book are beautifully crafted to warm hearts both young and old alike. Such a valuable reminder at an uncertain and scary time...YOU ARE LOVED.Sweet, heartwarming- should be a required reading for all of us right now. Would be a beautiful gift for someone you love who does not live close by as well.

My 3 year old son loves this story. I'm a nurse and was away from my boys for 10 long weeks due to COVID-19, so I ordered this book for my youngest. The world has changed forever and this book shows us that love and affection are still possible.

🦔 ‘For all the children who can’t hug the ones they love.’ ❤️From the duo who brought us  Hug , I also love this short story from Eoin McLaughlin, which is simply to the point, covering current feelings about showing we can love & care without physically touching, come rain or shine. The pastel illustrations from Polly Dunbar are also seemingly simple, but so spot on, especially the facial expressions that convey the emotion of the moment.IMO, the storyline is applicable to anyone, any time, across any distance.ooOoo~ AUTHOR: EOIN MCLAUGHLIN~ ILLUSTRATOR: POLLY DUNBAR~ PUBLISHER: FABER & FABER~ JUNE 2020From the back cover:🦔 ‘Hedgehog and Tortoise are the best of friends.But they’re not allowed to hug.Luckily, there are lots of other ways to show someone you love them…’ ❤️ooOooMeasuring around 24.75 cm square, the pastel coloured card cover is shiny for the title and the two main characters, i.e. Hedgehog on one side of the rainbow on the front cover and Tortoise, the other side of the rainbow, on the back.Inside are 32 matte finish pages, of which the story spans 28, with a simple sentence or two on each double page spread. On the left-hand page each time is Hedgehog, with Tortoise on the right-hand page.At first, they are both a bit despondent, but then Owl comes along to show them the way forward!A commendable paragraph from the publisher on the very last page just ahead of the credits:📚 ‘Faber has published children’s books since 1929.T. S. Eliot’s ‘Old Possum of Practical Cats’ and Ted Hughes’ ~ ‘The Iron Man’ were amongst the first. Our catalogue at the time said that ‘it is by reading such books that children learn the difference between the shoddy and the genuine.’We still believe in the power of reading to transform children’s lives. All our books are chosen with the express intention of growing a love of reading, a thirst for knowledge and to cultivate empathy. We pride ourselves on responsible editing.Last but not least, we believe in kind and inclusive books in which all children feel represented and important.’And…the book is ‘Printed in the UK’.[9 images attached © Eoin McLaughlin, Polly Dunbar & Faber & Faber/2020] Hug

One of the few books to normalise and address the issues of non-contact for small children. My son is currently in reception year in primary school. This book means we have an inroad to talk about how our son feels about all the changes around him, and also to proactively suggest solutions, in this case in the form of gestures. A clever and timely book that could make a big difference to a lot of children’s understanding of the world around them.

Hedgehog and tortoise are friend's, however due to the situation the world is currently in the friends cannot hug each other. But they are resourceful creatures and show each other how much they care using alternative methods. Beautiful illustrations too.

A wonderful story to explain how we can express love and kindness during social distancing, without going into the details about the virus.Perfect for ages 2-5, simple, very sweet language and illustration.