We love you Hugless Douglas! by David Melling

Hugless Douglas series. Hodder, 2015 (c2013) ISBN 9781444920772
(Age: 3-5), Warmly recommended. Board book, Friendship. A lovely book to hold and share, this one tells of the further adventures of Hugless Douglas as he searches for a best friend. Everyone around seems to have one close friend, and he seems to struggle to find one for himself.
The lumbering bear is always on hand to help others: he helps Flossie the sheep down from the tree, he joins Cow and her friend for a smoothie, looking under the table for Flossie's last friend. He is bombarded with flying bunnies as they play on the trampoline, and is directed to the Baa Baa bush to search for Flossie's friend. When Flossie and her friend are reunited and wander off together, he is bereft and wonders why he hasn't got a friend, but a surprise is waiting for him.
This will be a hit with the targeted audience, full of incidents which underline the things friends do together (reprised on the last double page spread) stressing the impact of friendship on their daily lives. With Douglas not having a friend, children will sympathise and offer suggestions, marveling at the positive conclusion of the story. The illustrations reflect some funny incidents as Douglas helps others in his clumsy way and the whole is a lovely read aloud. First published in 2103 it is now republished as a board book.
Fran Knight