Slug needs a hug by Jeanne Willis

Ill. by Tony Ross. Scholastic, 2015. ISBN 9781742761428
(Age: 0-5) Love, Comfort, Family. When Slug becomes aware that his mother does not hug him, he goes off to ask what other animals do. He thinks that he is not pretty enough, and Kitten suggests that he make himself more like her. He needs to be furry, purry and fluffy, so Slug adds these things to his sluggy body. Bird suggests he needs a beak and a few feathers, and he adds those. Pig suggests he needs trotters, a tail and a squeak, and he dutifully adds these as well. After visiting a goat, a moth and fox and a bug, he adds a range of things as well, ending up being very top heavy and very colourful. Presenting himself to his mother he gets the assurances he needs, which have nothing to do with the extra baggage he is carrying.
A warm tale of reassurance of love, of the unconditional mother's love that is given, of the warmth of that love, this tale will assure young children that they do not need to change who they are to gain affection. Children will laugh out loud at the measures to which Slug goes to make himself attractive, and the rhyming stanzas will endear children even more. They will love predicting the rhyming words on each page and love the additions Slug makes to his body. The team of Willis and Ross have already successfully written Big bad bun, I hate school and Sticky ends amongst others.
Fran Knight