In this thoughful but playful picture book, illustrator Adam Carruthers perfectly captures the sentiments of four Michael Wagner poems about how families support and nurture their members. Suitable for pre-schoolers and early primary readers, Family Hugs both warms the heart and tickles the funnybone, while providing much to reflect upon about how loving families function.

When Jason Hansen’s father taught him this principle, Jason had no idea that it would be so essential for his family, especially Kennedy. Jason and Heather’s daughter Kennedy was diagnosed with Batten disease, a terminal illness, but the story doesn’t begin or end there. Kennedy’s Hugs details the precious moments, miracles, and guidance that Kennedy and her family experienced throughout her life’s journey. Despite the painful effects of her disease, Kennedy’s heart reached out with love to Hug millions. Be inspired to face your own challenges as you read this incredible true story of unfailing optimism, real miracles, and Kennedy’s legacy of love. “This book goes far beyond our movie [about Kennedy] and will bring a great insight into all of the lessons we can learn from the life of Kennedy Hansen.

Cover may vary Two mommies spend a sunny day with their toddler in this cozy, rhyming picture book that is a loving celebration of family. This cheerful book follows a family from morning to night in lively rhyme that rolls off the tongue. There's a buzz for each bug, and a breeze for each tree, and plenty of hugs for you and me. The toddler and mommies take a morning bike ride to a farm stand, they visit a zoo in the afternoon, and in the evening there's the bath and storybook routine before the child is tucked cozily into bed. There are seas for ships and kisses for lips, so we can whisper I love you! This is sure to become a preschool favorite, for bedtime and any time.

A young boy discovers many different kinds of hugs and ways to show love as family members and friends gather to welcome his immigrant relatives from China.

Celebrated artist and lead character designer of Brave, Ratatouille, and Despicable Me, Carter Goodrich, shows that sometimes, even the prickliest people—or the crankiest cacti—need a little love. Hank is the prickliest cactus in the entire world. He sits in a pot in a window that faces the empty desert, which is just how he likes it. So, when all manner of creatures—from tumbleweed to lizard to owl—come to disturb his peace, Hank is annoyed. He doesn’t like noise, he doesn’t like rowdiness, and definitely does not like hugs. But the thing is, no one is offering one. Who would want to hug a plant so mean? Hank is beginning to discover that being alone can be, well, lonely. So he comes up with a plan to get the one thing he thought he would never need: a hug from a friend.

Roy Spence was raised in a family of huggers. When his dad—Big Roy, the biggest hugger of them all—passed away at the age of ninety-five, Roy Jr. started the healing process and discovered a more profound purpose behind the power of hugs. Roy inherited his dad’s way of greeting both friends and strangers alike with a hug. In his journey from small-town Texas boy to CEO of a nationally acclaimed advertising agency, he hugged heads of state and CEOs, waitresses and receptionists, the famous and the salt of the earth. And he used hugs to mend fences, to get over it and get on with it, and to spread a little good in the world. In the 10 Essential Hugs of Life, Roy shares the inspiring lessons he has learned from practicing what his dad taught him—anyone worth meeting is worth hugging—with the hope that others will take up the call to put a little more joy in the lives of those we touch, including our own. We simply need to hug ourselves first, hug our faith and our flags, our friends and family, our fears and failures, our firsts, our futures, and our finals. When we embrace all of the people and events that make us who we are, we discover deep wells of love. With warm Texas charm and stirring artwork, The 10 Essential Hugs of Life reveals a path to healing, to goodness, to a future full of love and hope.

"With a focus on infant and toddler development, authors Dr. Stacey Bromberg and Dr. Joe Taravella guide their readers toward a respect for all families in Hugs of Three: My Mommies and Me. From the first line, "My family is so special" to the conclusion, this story acknowledges the importance of a loving connection between children and their parents"--Page [4] of cover.