Alborough, Jez

Hug

How can it be that a book with only one word--hug--repeated throughout, can be so good? The proof is in the pudding (or the wilds of Africa) in Jez Alborough's picture book Hug, a delightful mini odyssey of a baby chimpanzee on the hunt for his mum and a cuddle.

Our little friend wanders through the trees, witnessing many other animals from chameleons to giraffes as they snuggle together. "Hug," he says, happily, at first, but then with growing despair as he sees there are no hugs for him. The story is told purely by the expression on the little chimp's face as his hopes are built up and dashed again until eventually, with a huge smile, he finds his mum and reaps the reward.

Hug is a clever, unusual book that portrays the art of children's illustration at its very best: a story brought to life with the stroke of a brush through facial expressions and body language that children will immediately understand.

Ideal for sharing with small ones, this lovely book is a warm, comforting read that cannot fail to please. (Ages 1 to 4)

"Alborough's simplicity results in another gem."
—School Library Journal

Bobo needs a hug. But his friends don't seem to understand. "Hug," he implores, time and again. Time and again his puzzled pals—from the smallest chameleon to the tallest giraffe—shrug and cuddle with their jungle mothers. As the lonely chimp's plea escalates, his friends grow concerned. Can the elephants lead Bobo to his heart's desire? Jez Alborough, the acclaimed author-illustrator of WHERE'S MY TEDDY?, IT'S THE BEAR!, and MY FRIEND BEAR transforms a total of three words—and some of the most tenderly expressive animals ever created—into an endearing tribute to love and belonging.

Where's My Teddy?

Yikes! Eddie's in for the surprise of his life when he discovers that his teddy bear has grown much too big to cuddle! But there's fun in store when Eddie meets up with a real bear who's got just the opposite problem—his lost teddy bear has shrunk to a size that's much too small for such an enormous bear to cuddle. Could it be a case of mistaken identity? This fast-paced comedy of errors, illustrated with Jez Alborough's quirky artwork, is guaranteed to have children—and bears alike—reaching for their teddies!

Duck in the Truck

Duck's truck is stuck in the muck.

Who will help him out?

First, frog lends a hand. Then sheep helps push, too. But duck's truck won't come unstuck! Can anyone help him get out of the muck? Or is duck out of luck?

Find out in this rollicking read-aloud by the inimitable Jez Alborough.

Some Dogs Do

In the inimitable world of Jez Alborough, some dogs do fly - and little pups everywhere are encouraged to dream big.

Do dogs fly?
Is it true?

One day, when Sid is walking to school, he suddenly gets a happy feeling. In fact, he feels so happy that his paws lift off the ground, and he floats right up to the sky! He can’t wait to tell his friends at school, but of course they don’t believe him. "Don’t be daft," scoffs Ben. "You’re a dog, and dogs don’t fly." Even Sid’s teacher shakes her head at him. Now Sid is one unhappy little pup. Can anything ever get him flying high again?

Fix- It Duck

A leaking roof?
A window stuck?
These are jobs for FIX-IT DUCK!
He s got his tools,
he s keen he s strong,
what can possibly go wrong?
Duck is up to his old tricks,
now who will end up in a fix?

My Friend Bear

Eddie and the bear are back, but can it be true? Yes! They're inseparable!

Eddie’s feeling sad, and so is the bear. They both wish they
had a friend to talk to. All they have are their teddies, and teddies can’t talk. Or can they? Teddy fans, prepare! From the author-illustrator of the best-selling WHERE’S MY TEDDY? and IT’S THE BEAR! comes a third warm and funny story about this odd-sized, lovable pair, a small boy and a rather large bear!

Hit the Ball Duck

What does Duck know about baseball? Quite a lot, as it happens...

Yes

YES! The cuddly hero of HUG and TALL is back!

Bobo's mother has no trouble getting her little chimp to take a bath. "Yes!" he shouts. But when it's bedtime for Bobo, he responds with a definite "No." In this tale of two words, it takes some patient animal friends and plenty of splashing to alter one contrary little chimp's attitude. By popular demand, Jez Alborough brings back the beloved Bobo in a charming bedtime story for every preschooler who loves chimps — and every parent who could use a welcome break from "No!"

Tall

Bobo the chimp finds that his jungle friends are happy to help him feel tall — but that small is still the perfect size for being safe in Mommy's arms.

When you're a tiny chimp like Bobo, it seems that everyone else is bigger than you. Luckily, all his pals, from the lion cub to the elephant to the towering giraffe, let Bobo climb on their shoulders or even their heads to give him a taste of being tall. But what if the eager little guy clambers too high? With endearingly expressive illustrations, Jez Alborough turns a moment of high anxiety into a Mommy-and-Bobo reunion in another irresistible tale of very few words-and very big heart.

Martin's Mice

"Martin, a kitten, is branded a `wimp' by his siblings for his friendly interest in mice.  He loves caring for them and can't understand their desire for freedom.  Only when he becomes the pet of a big city apartment dweller does he realize why his pets deserted him.  An engaging animal fantasy with plenty of humorous insight into the human condition, King-Smith's story has humor and a fast pace which will appeal to younger readers."--School Library Journal (starred review)