How Do You Hug a Porcupine?

by Laurie Isop, Gwen Millward (Illustrator)

The third book in the General Mills Spoonful of Stories series!

Can you imagine hugging a porcupine? Sure, it's easy to picture hugging a bunny or even a billy goat, but where would you begin to try to hug a porcupine?

After seeing all his friends hug their favorite animals, one brave boy works up the courage to hug a porcupine, but the porcupine isn't so sure he wants to be hugged!

The latest contest winner Laurie Isop and illustrator Gwen Millward aren't afraid to ask the pointed questions!

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Storytime, Friendship, Poetry, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published July 26, 2011

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

This book is so darn cute!!! :-) I am a fan of Gwen Millward's illustrations already (esp. The Bog Baby) and this is another charming work. The story is adorable, too. It's very easy to hug some animals ("Can you hug a horse? Of course!" and hugging a cat or dog is not so hard, you can hug them in your own backyard!) BUT "How do you hug a porcupine?" I love seeing all the different animals getting their hugs (this would be a nice one for vegetarian/vegan families since farm animals are included but they are all seen being loved) and I love the tenacity of the child trying to hug the porcupine. As my friend Lisa pointed out in her review, I did feel a bit sorry for a few of the animals that no one wanted to hug--but the final illustration shows most of them being hugged or about to be hugged. And the final solution to hugging a porcupine is just great!

The story won the Cheerios New Author contest. I think it's great Cheerios encourages new authors and I also feel the story is strong enough that no one should think of it as "less than" for winning a Cheerios contest vs. something more "literary". The rhyme scheme isn't perfect, but it's still a good read.

On a deeper level, I think the message of this story is so great because we sometimes meet "prickly" people in our lives but if we really want/need to get to know them, we can often overcome that prickly exterior and sometimes they will often met us half way once they know we want to be friends :-)

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right on the cover it says this book is the winner of the Cheerios (cereal) New Author Contest. Well, I’m glad they’re supporting authors and books and reading. And they sure found a gem with this book and author, and with its illustrator too.

The rhyming story is wonderful, rhyming all the way through until the last page, which has just one word. The story is fun and funny and sweet. The only thing I didn’t like was that there were a couple animals along the way that weren’t hug worthy, and they looked rather sad about that.

I loved the pictures. I love the art style and the colors and the details, and I especially love the expressiveness of all the animals, and of the children too.

This is a fine book for reading aloud one to one or to groups and early readers will enjoy it too. ages 2-8

I love that in the author’s bio it says the animal she’d most want to hug is an (unfortunately extinct) Caspian tiger, and I noticed that the illustrator for this book also illustrated a book I read earlier today, Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Can you hug a horse? / Of course! / A cow? / With arms around her neck, that's how! / A dog or cat is not so hard. / Just hug them in your own backyard. / Hugging bunnies is just divine. / But how do you hug a porcupine?" How indeed...? First-time author Laurie Isop, who won the Cheerios New Author Contest with this adorable book, teams up with talented illustrator Gwen Millward, whose work can also be found in such titles as The Bog Baby and Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood , to answer that all important question. Everyone loves hugs, of course, but how does one manage to embrace a creature who is so bristly and unapproachable? Fortunately, where there's a will there's a way - and it doesn't require marshmallows...

As someone who comes from a hugging family myself, I found both the premise and the execution of this story delightful! The rhyming text reads very well, gamboling along in an entertaining fashion, while the artwork is simply charming! I found Gwen Millward's animal faces quite expressive here, from the porcupine's concerned longing to the elephant's tolerant bemusement. The droll expressions on the faces of the dog and cat, when they were being hugged, were particularly amusing! All in all, a lovely little picture-book, one I would recommend to any young reader who loves animals or enjoys hugs, as well as to fans (like myself) of Gwen Millward's art.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book! Brought a much needed smile to my face!

[Emily Tidwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This unique story is full of colorful illustrations about many different animals including the
Porcupine. Most people believe that it is not possible to hug a porcupine, due to its sharp quills. However, IT IS VERY POSSIBLE! One must hug a porcupine with a gentle touch. The author says “it has to be hugged very CAREFULLY.”
I first choose this book based on the cover. It immediately grabs your attention, because everyone knows you are not supposed to hug a porcupine. This book is a delightful story that would be enjoyable for younger kids, maybe between the ages of kindergarten until 8 years old. This book would be a fun book to read aloud in an elementary classroom. In addition to reading this book, one could teach about not judging a book by its cover per se. Then the instructor can go one to talk about how sometimes we judge our peers by how they dress, act, or smell but that doesn’t mean anything. We should all reach out to everyone equally and give them a chance.

[Amy Seto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most animals are easy to hug. You can hug a dog or cat in your own backyard and you might need a ladder, but hugging a giraffe is doable. Elephants like to be hugged around their trunks and baby chicks like sweet, little hugs. But how do you hug a porcupine? Why, very carefully of course!

The gently rhyming text and short sentences make this a wonderful book for a read aloud with toddlers. The bright illustrations, set against a mostly white background, feature a gang of multiracial children who just love to give hugs. The illustrations are large enough for a group storytime, but also include humorous details, such as the little boy putting marshmallows on the porcupine quills.

Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...

[Jessica Sommers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells a story about how easy it is to approach and hug all different kinds animals. However, a porcupine is one animal that does not seem possible to hug because it looks so prickly. Throughout the book, the author lists all these animals, but keeps on referring back to the porcupine. By the end of the book, the author reveals that it is possible to hug the porcupine, it just has to be done carefully.

I thought this an adorable book that would be great for younger children!
My favorite aspects of this book were all the rhymes and illustrations that go along with each page. I loved the very last page of the book when the author says the way to hug a porcupine is "carefully". Very creative book!

This would be a great book to use in the classroom to teach children that even if someone may not seem nice at first, to still always give him or her a chance.

[Taylor Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers how to approach hugging all different kinds of animals. Porcupines, however, seem like they are impossible to hug. Throughout the book, the author compares how to hug other animals to how impossible it seems to hug porcupines. In the end, it is revealed how to hug a porcupine: very carefully.

This book was very neat! It would be great for young children. I loved the rhymes and illustrations on each page. This was a very creative and adorable book!

This would be a great book to read soon after connecting with your class. It also is a great way to get the lesson of not judging someone on first impressions. It is important to always give people chances.

[Fjóla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book by a new author Laurie Isop: In rollicky rhyme, a book about hugging (sort of). The somewhat bland cover doesn't really do the book justice, as the pictures in the book are genuinely cute and fun! Considering one animal after the other, made us tangentially think of the lovely, now classic Is Your Mama A Llama?.

[Carol Harlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

So have you ever seen a real porcupine? Now imagine hugging one, ouch! Hugging a bunny or a bear are a lot easier to picture! I wouldn’t know how to even begin to wrapping my arms around a porcupine.

After seeing all his friends hug their favorite animals, one brave boy works up the courage to hug a porcupine, but the porcupine isn't so sure he wants to be hugged!

The latest contest winner Laurie Isop and illustrator Gwen Millward have done a fantastic job!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author: Laurie Isop
Grade Level: K-2
Content: Rhyming, hugging different animals, characteristics of different animals.

This book has very cute illustrations. Book relates to affection for animals. It asks the reader how to hug different animals. It provides some characteristics of the animals.

Literature:
Book provides a wide range of rhyming words. I could incorporate into a lesson for punctuation because only a sentence or two are on each page.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever thought of hugging a porcupine? I sure haven't and I have never thought how you would even go about it! this book addresses this problem. We all know how to hug dogs, cats and the occasional cow but a porcupine? I chose this book as my read aloud because of the bright pictures and the silliness it allows. While the story suggests that you hug a porcupine carefully, the pictures and words that get you there are so engaging, I wanted the story to keep going!

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grade Levels: P-2
* A cute book to read aloud during the first day of school or first few weeks of school to encourage students to meet new people and make new friends; teaches character traits such as courage and kindness; integrates science with literacy by introducing different animals to students; discuss with students some ways that they might show themselves courageous or friendly throughout the school year

[Mary Hood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindergarten-Grade 3
This is a cute book! This book is good for using in a writing lesson. First show the cover of the book and ask children to answer the question "how do you hug a porcupine?" Give children the opportunity to share their writing. After the writing is complete, read aloud the story to the children to compare their thoughts with the ending of the book. Awarded a new author award by Cheerios.

[Camila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my all time favorite books! My Kindergarten mentor teacher took me to the book fair and bought me several books including this one. The book goes through several animals and talks about ways to hug them. The illustrations are wonderful and it rhymes from the first page to the last. The reason I gave it four stars was because it makes it sound like some animals aren't worthy of being hugged which I don't like. I think that it's an easy read especially for emerging readers.

[Avel Rudenko · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this one to my nephew and niece at night today. They liked it, I couldn't complain either. You continually are left reading and pondering upon the never-ending question, that baffles the uninitiated: "How Do You Hug a Porcupine?" Good question, read this book to find out the answer, to this mystifying question.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book came in my box of Cheerios. The pictures of children attempting to hug various animals are adorable. The rhymes are so-so. For instance, the author rhymes "horse" with "of course", which made me think of the Mr. Ed theme song. The ending of the book is where we FINALLY learn how one hugs a porcupine--I won't spoil the ending, but it was a disappointment.

[Allison Burke]

This adorable book talks about different animals and their features and how one would hug each type. It could be helpful when discussing how animals are all different and have different characteristics. t's a great book that teaches about words that rhyme as well. The pictures are too cute! Grades prek-1st

[Michelle Marcano · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in the English and Spanish version. It was great! I loved seen the relationship between the two languages and how even in Spanish the story still rhymes and still makes sense. I love this book for my ELL's because it gives the direct translation of words and they can read the story in two different languages.

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute book about a little boy hugging different animals while trying to figure out how to hug a porcupine. A tricky endeavor to be sure, but he perseveres and gets it done.

[Nicole Bingaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art, the prose, the everything.
This book was delightful.

[Emily P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute book! My son really enjoyed it.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful cute story!!!! I loved the pictures. This is a real keeper!!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

:)

[Nick So'oto · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Hug A Porcupine, is a sweet, loving, and caring book about a young boy who loves dishing out hugs to his favorite animals whenever he can. The little boy hugs all types of animals: dogs, cats, giraffes, but not Skunks!! In contrast, there is one animal that the boy cannot seem to hug, a Porcupine! The author continuously explains the difficulty, and the skill required to complete such a task. But, no task could be too great for this young man. Throughout the book he explores and thinks of every technique and scenario possible, and FINALLY he hugs the Porcupine, and the only way to hug a porcupine is, carefully.

I thought this was a great children’s book that could help children explore numerous types of animals, and see what they look like, and even get a general understanding of what they actually are. But, my favorite feature about the book would have to be the drawings of the Porcupine. The Porcupine in the story is depicted as kind of a lonely animal that no one really gets to love on, until the end the Porcupine and the young boy are last depicted hugging and smiling. But, in contrast I did think that some of the illustrations were rather very simple. I understand that it’s a children’s book, and the illustrator may have been going for more of a fun type of style, but I think if he or she would have put more detail and time into the illustrations, it would have took this book to another level.

If I were to use this book in the classroom it would most likely be to teach and inform my students about all the different type of animals there are out in the world. I would simply read the page and ask my class, “Which animal is he hugging now?”. I feel like this book would be for more of a Pre-K type of student.

[Mackenzie Donahoo]

In "How do you Hug a Porcupine?", we meet a little boy who want to hug a porcupine. He goes through a list of animals he could hug. He can hug a bunny, dog, goat, pig, and so many more animals. Since porcupines are not soft, it is not as easy. He tries the whole book to learn how to hug this porcupine. He decides that if he is the porcupines friend and does it carefully, his animal friend will be fine. He finally gets to hug a porcupine.

I liked this book, because I thought that it was creative. I never think about hugging some of the animals he mentions, so it is an interesting thought. I like how he tried to think of solutions for his problems and finally found one.

I could use this book in my classroom to talk about different animals. We could talk about what kind of fur they had and why they would be easy to hug. We could also talk about animal safety and why hugging an animal might not be safe.

[Noel Tomlinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a boy who is trying to figure out how to hug his porcupine friend. The boy loves hugs, so he goes on an adventure and hug a bunch of different animal friend in hopes he can figure out how to hug his porcupine friend.

I loved this book! I loved how it rhymed, there was a few times that I literally laughed out loud because it was so cute and funny. The pictures were also precious and funny as well. The words and pictures worked really well together in this book.

I would use this book in my classroom another example of rhyming other than Dr. Seuss, because those books aren’t for everyone. I could also use this book as an interactive reading to get all the wiggles out of the students.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rhyming text that lines up with each animal being hugged and several re-visits as it is wondered "but how do you hug a porcupine?" Cute enough. Not going to venture into storytime with it but imagine that an audience would enjoy it, especially the steps taken to finally answer the question!

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazon level: Preschool - 1
Novelist level: Pre-Kindergarten - 2

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

L (almost five years old): It’s so, so silly!