In Arms' Way: Hugless Douglas by David Melling

"I NEED A HUG" SAID DOUGLAS.

HE WRIGGLED OUT OF HIS PAJAMAS. "MY BEST HUGS ARE BIG ONES," THOUGHT DOUGLAS. SO HE WENT UP TO THE BIGGEST THING HE COULD FIND AND WRAPPED HIS ARMS ALL THE WAY AROUND IT.

Just awakened from his first hibernation, Douglas isn't sure just what he wants to hug. His chosen boulder is BIG, all right, but it doesn't exactly hug back. Even Douglas, as clueless a young bear as one could meet, realizes that rocks are unsatisfactory in the bear hug department.

Hug TALL things? Trees are tall, but no less unrewarding. Comfy things? Sheep just run away, and owls get rather belligerent when embraced. Down the rabbit hole, Douglas tries hugging Rabbit, who objects. "DOWN!" he shouts.

But then Rabbit understands what Doug really needs--and where to find it--and takes the young bear down into a deep, dark cave that seems suddenly seems very familiar to him and which has just what he is looking for.

"MOMMY!"

David Melling's funny and sweet Hugless Douglas (Tiger Tales, 2010) will charm young children, who will giggle at Douglas, who is, in the words of the song, "looking for love in all the wrong places."