The Littlest Things Give the Loveliest Hugs (Mark Sperring)

Title:  The Littlest Things Give the Loveliest Hugs  

Author: Mark Sperring

Illustrator: Maddie Frost   

Target Ages: 0-6

Genre:  Bedtime Picture Book

Publisher Summary: 

From ducklings

to seal pups,

from bunnies

to cubs,

the littlest things

give the

loveliest

hugs!

In this tender celebration of love, you’ll find the sweetest bug hug, the cutest fox cuddle, and the gentlest elephant embrace you’ve ever seen!

First Lines:

How do you do it, my sweet beetle bug?

You’re ever so clever at giving a hug…

You snuggle so nicely, it really is true…

Nobody, nowhere, can cuddle like you!

Memorable Moment:

Every page is a memorable moment! 

Evaluation:

I fell in love with this book instantly!  From start to finish, the poetic language and endearing pictures pulled me in. This story is perfect for little ones cuddled on laps or snuggled close. 

The soft, vivid colors capture animals with their babies, such as seals nose to nose in the ocean, mice snuggling in the wheat field, koalas clinging to their moms in a tree, penguins holding their babies on an icy terrain, and foxes in their burrow under the night sky. 

As the nighttime creeps in, there is a shift from animals in their habitats to a mother and child hugging as they drift off to sleep in their home. 

The delightful refrain and rhythmic language are as soothing as a lullaby.  Alliterative phrases like “my duckling, my dear” and “my darling, my dove” work both for the illustrations and for terms of endearment between parent and child reading the book together.  Other phrases provide feelings of comfort and security, such as “sing to you softly” and “cozy up close.” 

Snuggle up with your little one and read The Littlest Things Give the Loveliest Hugs.  This storybook is sure to bring families closer and to make bedtime sweeter.

Activities and Extension Ideas for Home Learning:

• Animal Identification:  Point to the animals and identify them.  Encourage your children to repeat after you and eventually identify them on their own.
• Alliteration:  Identify words with the same beginning sound.  Brainstorm other words with the same beginning sound.
• Rhyme:  Identify rhyming words.  Practice other words that rhyme with them. 
• Habitats:  Discuss how animals live in different places.  Look for clues on the pages for what type of place they live.
• Counting:  Count the animals or animal babies on each page together. 

Want more recommendations from around the web?  Check out Perfect Picture Book Friday.