Set to the rhythm of the classic children's song, Groovy Joe invites the reader to laugh, sing, explore, and best of all, hug a friend.

"A tiny porcupine just wants a cuddle. All of the other animals turn him away because of his prickly spikes. But finally the porcupine meets an animal who's happy to hug--a snake!" --

When you could neither talk nor stand, life's hourglass still filled with sand, I gently held your tiny hand and gave it three soft squeezes. When you awoke within the night and cried from fear and called for light, I held you safe with all my might. and gave you three long squeezes. Follow a father and his son from babyhood to baseball games to graduation and beyond in this loving saga about the unbreakable bond between generations. A perfect gift,...

Poor Porcupine just cannot be hugged--his quills are too spikey! Each night, before settling down to sleep, all of Porcupine's forest friends hug each other goodnight. All except Porcupine, who feels left out--and grumpy! But when Armadillo shows him what a warm, fuzzy "kiss" is (even for a porcupine!), Porcupine is delighted and cannot wait to show his friends. With adorable art, Zoe Waring's story of making the most out of your physical limitations...

A child figures out the best way to hug a porcupine as he watches his friends hug other animals.

Presents a wide variety of insects, sea creatures, and other animals with increasing numbers of arms, noting how many hugs each can give at once.

Rhyming text celebrates hugs between animal babies and parents from around the world.

"Horace and Hattie are hedgehogs, and the very best of friends. Together, they make daisy chains, splash in puddles, and have tea parties. But there is one thing they can't do--hug! They are just too spiky. Throughout the seasons, these two hedgehogs will try many different ways of hugging. But will Horace and Hattie find a hug that feels just right?" --

Hattie learns to establish her boundaries with confidence and without hurting the feelings of her overly affectionate relatives.

A playful and comforting bedtime book that imagines all the wonderful ways a child might give and receive a hug. Whether it's a big bear, gasp for air, knock over a chair hug or a wet and drippy, slimy, slippy fish hug, children will giggle their way through all the imaginative examples. Cooney's sweet, whimsical rhymes encourage playful interaction between parent and child and ultimately help them wind down before they snuggle into bed and drift...