No Hugs!

by Deirdre Prischmann, Sarah Jennings (Illustrations)

"A lighthearted take on consent and body autonomy."— School Library Journal
 
Alice and Zara are the best of friends. Alice LOVES hugs. Zara really doesn't. Will their friendship survive?
 
In our new world of physical distancing, understanding personal space and getting permission to get close are more important than ever. Even though they disagree, Alice never forces a hug on Zara—she always asks first.
Alice gets frustrated, but the two friends work through their differences. Written by debut picture book author Deirdre Prischmann and illustrated with expressive characters designed by Sarah Jennings, No Hugs! is a perfect springboard for talking about feelings, consent, and body autonomy with young children.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Friendship

32 pages, Hardcover

Published August 6, 2019

Reviews

[Jolene Gutiérrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice LOVES giving and receiving hugs, but Zara. . .well, not so much. Alice offers hugs repeatedly, but Zara refuses each time. This causes a rift in their friendship until the girls figure out a compromise.

This book is a wonderful starting point for a discussion on consent, boundaries, personal space, friendship, and emotions. Children will want to look closely at the adorable artwork to determine how Alice and Zara are feeling. I highly recommend this book for school counselors, classrooms, libraries, and homes!

[Elizabeth Majka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Consent is important. This is a great book to start a conversation about it, presenting it in a way that kids will recognize - sometimes you just don't want a hug.

[Carrie Finison · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, Zara stands her ground and insists that she does not want a hug even though her friend Alice loves to give them and asks her repeatedly. At the climax of the story, Alice becomes upset with Zara for refusing to hug. At that point the tables are turned, with Zara asking her friend if she needs a hug, which Alice refuses. Finally they high five as a way of connecting at the end of the book that makes both of them happy. I thought that this brought up some interesting talking points about consent. Sometimes - whether it's legitimate or not - people do get offended or upset when they want a hug, but another person doesn't. People can change their mind about giving hugs, but they shouldn't be manipulated into doing so and it shouldn't be as a way to smooth over angry feelings. Did Zara really want a hug at that point, or was she only trying to please Alice? Hopefully the book will be an entry point into discussion for parents and children.

[Faith Pray · Rating 5 out of 5]

NO HUGS! By Dierdre A. Prischmann, illustrated by Sarah Jennings is a playful picture book that circles around the idea of healthy boundaries without being didactic. In NO HUGS!, the main character really, really wants a hug, but the other child in the story does NOT. This is such a relatable experience, and I love Dierdre Prischmann’s spare dialogue-text. The text is a perfect match with Sarah Jennings’ expressive illustrations. I think NO HUGS! would be an excellent first pick for teaching consent and boundaries to pre-k readers.

[Nichole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm unsure on this one. I like that it talked about not wanting hugs. But then I don't like how it starts to feel like... maybe coercion is too strong a word, but like she HAS to give in because the other one is sad. No. It's ok not to want a hug. It IS also ok to change your mind, but not to do it because you feel like you MUST.

It definitely allows for conversation, but I'm not sure it does enough to stand on its own without conversation.

[Holly Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had the right idea, and I love that they are trying to start the conversation of content from a young age. However, I do think that there are some parts in the book where different vocabulary would have been more effective. This is a book that I do think I would read to my future children as a way to start that conversation, but I am not sure if it would go into my classroom library or not!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this straight-forward, colorful book about consent, kids will be able to relate to Alice and Zara; one likes hugs, the other does not. Told all in dialogue and illustrated with an emphasis on body language, Alice and Zara disagree about hugs, then agree on a solution that affirms each girl's bodily autonomy. A powerful springboard for discussions about personal space, feelings, and consent in the preschool and early elementary classroom.

[Jennifer Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diversity notes: two white female main characters

Loved this book for teaching body advocacy for kids. The blond kiddo doesn't want a hug and stands her ground the whole time, she advocates for herself and I love that. It's not a big deal but it covers the topic perfectly. I also appreciate seeing the brunette kiddo get mad that her friend doesn't want a hug. That's real life, kids struggle with this sometimes and it's great to see it portrayed in a positive way.

[Sarah Wilson]

I really liked reading the book, No Hugs! I thought it was a great book to teach little kids about consent through a children’s story. I also thought it was a perfect read during a time of COVID and socially distancing. I think this book does a good job of presenting an important concept in a way that children can understand.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of us as children and adults do not like hugs. Or rather hugs are on our terms and with some people fine and others "No thanks." This book shows that even with a friend sometimes you don't want a hug and sometimes the friend doesn't want one. Asking for permission is good.

[Maleah Scheel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about consent. It reminds me of my younger cousin who was raised to believe that it is ok to say no to hugs, especially from strangers. I think it's important for all kids to be introduced to consent at a young age.

[Christine Turner]

Zara loves hugs, so she is confused and upset when her friend Alice doesn't want a hug. When the tables are turned, she appreciates her friend's perspective and realizes that a hug takes two willing individuals.

[Danni · Rating 5 out of 5]

How did they write my autobiography?

[Elizabeth]

I thought this book might explain why some people don't want to be hugged or touched, but it failed to do that.

[Madelyn Chandler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a pretty cute book, love the concept of consent behind it. This books is a great start to showing young children what consent looks like. I would read this book to my children.

[Katherine Hoffmann]

this is a great book for kids who are learning to have their own boundaries. it teaches kids that it is also okay to say no.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

What happens when an hug-fan meets a no-hugger?
A discussion about consent and options.