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The Giant Hug Kindle Edition

by Sandra Horning (Author), Valeri Gorbachev (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 112 ratings
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How do you give your granny a hug when she lives far away? Send it through the mail, of course! This sweet story makes a perfect gift for Mother's Day for the granny in your life, whether she lives close or far!
Owen’s hug travels across the country in a series of hilarious, sometimes awkward, always heartfelt embraces between animals of different shapes and sizes. Valeri Gorbachev’s adorable artwork pairs beautifully with Sandra Horning’s charming text, and makes for a fun, funny, and educational read-aloud. An unexpected twist at the end will delight readers and have kids asking for this book again and again.
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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    4 - 8 years
  2. Print length
    40 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Preschool - 3
  5. Lexile measure
    AD580L
  6. Publisher
    Knopf Books for Young Readers
  7. Publication date
    May 30, 2012
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  12. ISBN-13
    978-0375824777
  13. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2 - When Owen the pig decides to send a hug to his grandmother, a mere drawing of one just won't do. At the post office, he gives the clerk Granny's address along with an affectionate embrace. That hug is passed from postal employee to pilot to driver to mail deliverer as it travels cross-country, inadvertently bringing cheer and a little extra caring into the workers' lives. In the satisfying ending, Granny sends a kiss back to Owen by bussing her mail carrier. As readers follow the hug's progress, they learn about the path a letter takes and the individuals involved in getting it from sender to receiver. The pen-and-watercolor illustrations are filled with warm colors. The expressions on the characters' faces put one in mind of Richard Scarry's artwork, although the animals here are much larger. While some of the more subtle reactions and embarrassment evinced by the huggers may pass right over children's heads, the reactions of the recipients will delight them. Pair this slightly wordy tale with Don Carter's Send It! (Millbrook, 2003) and Gail Gibbons's The Post Office Book (HarperCollins, 1982) for sprightly glimpses into the mail and how it moves. - Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha's Public Library, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. Even if you take Woody Guthrie's "Mail Myself to You" literally, it's difficult to express the depth and breadth of affection through postal-service channels. But Owen, a young pig, is determined to send his grandmother "a GIANT hug" for her birthday. So he hugs the postal clerk and offers these instructions: "Please make the hug just as giant when you pass it on to the mailman." So begins a transcontinental hug relay. Gorbachev's cast of animal characters, drawn with a Richard Scarry-like sense of whimsy, are well chosen to emphasize the relevant personality traits, with the jolly bear airplane captain giving a hearty embrace, and the porcupine truck driver doing the job with prickly reluctance. In a world increasingly reliant on cyber communication, this story may rapidly lose its relevance. For the time being, though, it's ideal for revving up kids' enthusiasm for post-office field trips--and postal workers certainly deserve the good press. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B007QPEDPA
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Knopf Books for Young Readers (May 30, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 30, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 13886 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 112 ratings

About the author

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Sandra Horning

Sandra Horning

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Sandra Horning is an author of books for young children, including The Biggest Pumpkin, Chicks!, and The Giant Hug, which has been translated into many languages. Family, friends, pets, and nature spark the ideas for many of her stories. Her family lives in Connecticut with a flock of chickens and ducks (all pets and named, of course). She loves to do school and library visits! Please get to know Sandra at www.sandrahorning.com.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
112 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Shari
5.0 out of 5 stars Cute book
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2023
Verified Purchase
I used this book to read and introduce making and sending a homemade card (a paper hug) to someone.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars I was looking for this for so long
Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2023
Verified Purchase
I finally found it!! I’m a preschool teacher and I was looking for a book a co-teacher had that was teaching the steps of sending a letter in a cute way and I’m so glad I found it. It’s great way to help kids if your school also mail as a theme or you want to teach your kids about it. I think if you are creative there are also great crafts and activities you can do with the book
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Barbara
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book for children
Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2023
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I am a fan of this author/illustrator! All of his books are fun to read and the illustrations are wonderfully done!
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Wallflower64
5.0 out of 5 stars Instant Favorite
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2015
Verified Purchase
Bought as a gift for a first grader. Absolutely adorable story with wonderfully illustrations, and a fun ending. The story is about a little pig who sends a hug to his grandmother through the mail. The story teaches various concepts in a fun an imaginative way....community helpers (postal workers), the concept of continuum and process, ripe for advanced "what if " discussions. An instant favorite. Highly recommend.
One person found this helpful
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DBD
4.0 out of 5 stars a very nice read.
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2014
What a sweet story about the power of love, friendship, family, and a hug. The story shows how a single action can have positive results for everyone.
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JT
5.0 out of 5 stars Made a good gift in the midst of Covid19.
Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2020
Verified Purchase
Very sweet book with vibrant pictures. This book made a teacher very happy in the midst of 2020 distance learning, and will make lots of kids think about the importance of hugs as well when the teacher reads it to them.
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ncmom
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2013
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The first time I read this book was at Valentine's day. The library had put together some books for the holiday and included this one. The kids loved the story. It became one of my favorites and I had to search it out and order a copy for my class. A heartwarming book.
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Avid CT Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone deserves A Giant Hug!
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2014
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This heartwarming story will make you want to hug everyone you love (and maybe even the mailman!)
Sandra Horning has written a delightful story about a boy who wants to send a hug to his grandma, and does so through an ever-extending cast of charming animals, each of whom delivers the hug in the course of their everyday jobs. Charming illustrations complement the story and provide a delightful wink to the reader at the end. So go get your hug and share it with a little reader!!
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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ヒロ
5.0 out of 5 stars ホッコリ
Reviewed in Japan on October 23, 2019
Verified Purchase
子供の興味をひく要素がいっぱいで、読み聞かせる大人もホッコリできる物語です
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