The Big Book of Hugs

The part where Barkley worries he can't do the job got my son asking real questions about helping others, which I didn't expect from a picture book. The forest animals are drawn so warmly that we spend extra minutes on each page just naming them.

My four-year-old asks for this one at bedtime almost every night now, mostly because he loves pointing out all the forest animals Barkley helps. The part where Barkley frets about filling his family's shoes opens up a sweet little talk about being nervous to help.

The story’s a nice idea—Barkley’s worry about caring for the forest feels relatable. But the pacing drags a bit, and my kid lost interest halfway through.