Nick Bland

When Lucy asks her mother for a hug in this sweet Australian picture-book, only to be told it is the last one, she is very careful to conserve it. She shares the hug with a variety of family members, always asking for it back. But when she hugs her dog Annie, and Annie runs off, it seems as if the hug is lost. Fortunately, Annie returns, with a hug (and kiss) far more slobbery than the one she was given...

The Runaway Hug is my first book from author Nick Bland, but definitely not my first show more from illustrator Freya Blackwood. Blackwood is, in fact, one of my favorite contemporary picture-book illustrators, and I sought this book out largely because I enjoy her work so much. I was not disappointed on that score, finding the illustrations here charming. The chaos of a busy family home is captured in all of the little details, while the love of the family that lives there is adeptly depicted in the faces, gestures and body language of the characters, whether human or dog. The story, in which a series of hugs is given, reminded me a bit of James Mayhew and Sue Hellard's Where's My Hug?, in which a boy is embarrassed to get a hug in public from his mother, only to be dismayed later, when he asks for it, and is told that is has been given away. The complexity of hugging certainly seems to be a topic that picture-book creators enjoy, to judge by these and other titles. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for fun, warmhearted family tales, as well as to fellow fans of Freya Blackwood's lovely illustrations. show less

I usually need a bit more substance in a picture book than cuteness for a full-length review here, but this book was so funny that I felt it deserved a spotlight.

In the Jingle Jangle Jungle, Moose, Lion, Zebra and Sheep find a great cave to hang out in on a cold, rainy day. Yes, there's a sheep in the jungle. Also a moose. They're playing cards, possibly a little poker judging by the sly grins on their faces, when they realize they're not alone...the cave actually belongs to a BEAR and he's show more quite unhappy about this noisy group of card-players. So out they go into the rain, leaving their cards behind. The animals decide that what cheers them up; stripes, antlers, and a mane, will surely cheer up the bear. Nope. But it sure does make him look silly! But with some extra information from Bear, Sheep realizes what's needed - a nice, fluffy pillow. Luckily, she's got just the thing.

If you've never encountered Nick Bland's illustrations before, you should know that he is the king of British cute. His animals are roly-poly, slick and colorful, little bundles of adorableness. Even the cranky bear is adorably cranky.

Verdict: There's a nice bounce to the rhyming text and this will definitely be a hit with toddlers and preschoolers, who will wait with bated breath to find out what's in the cave and roar with laughter when the animals deck bear out in their best attributes. Recommended.

ISBN: 9780545612692; US edition published July 2014 by Orchard; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Added to the library's order list show less

This story centers around a bear who is in a very bad mood. He’s cranky, grouchy, and refuses to let anyone near his cave. Three animal friends, Lion, Zebra, and Moose, decide to try to cheer him up by offering him things that might make him feel better, but their attempts only seem to make him more annoyed. Each one offers their own solution, but nothing works until the friends come together to figure out what really might help the cranky bear. The illustrations are vibrant and engaging, show more and the way the animals interact with the bear is both amusing and relatable. There’s a certain charm to the way the animals are trying to help, despite their own frustrations. The rhyming text flows smoothly, making it easy to read aloud and keep kids entertained.
One of the best things about The Very Cranky Bear is the way it highlights the importance of empathy and understanding, sometimes, people (or bears) just need a little space, and that’s okay. It’s a fun, easy read that leaves you with a sweet, positive message at the end. Highly recommend it for parents and kids alike! show less

4,5 stars
My inner child loves even more than I do. It's actually much more funny than scary, and the theme is one I treasure: The Golden Rule is not always the best; you have to put yourself in the place of the other to understand what they need.

There's even a second theme about vanity, but that is more subtle and I only caught it on my second pass through.