BOOK REVIEW: When The Hugs Came - Joe Fisher

TITLE: When The Hugs Came
AUTHOR: Joe Fisher
PUBLISHED BY: Independently published

This is a beautifully presented book using high quality glossy paper with amazing illustrations which children will become absorbed in as they help to portray the story so well; it is well suited for children of all ages.

The basis for the story is the COVID pandemic and lockdown; children are depicted self-testing and wearing masks and relating how they were stuck at home, not able to visit grandparents or friends.  They couldn’t go to the local playgrounds or go swimming and worst of all, they weren’t allowed to touch friends and family or give them a hug.

The story tells how the children are missing their father who is away serving in the army in a foreign country and they are all longing for him to be back home. Then something wonderful happens, a vaccine is found and everyone is able to visit each other again. The children’s father returns home and they have a big celebration with hugs and kisses. The story focuses on him returning home and reuniting with extended family.

Not only is this a delightful book to read, it has masses of potential for using as an aid to talk to children about the way the world has changed due to the pandemic; it will certainly ignite lots of questions and conversations about lockdown as depicted in the marvellous illustrations.

There is also a useful resource at the back of the book for children to complete, recalling the memories they have about not being able to hug during lockdown, which can be used by parents and teachers in school to bring to mind the importance of physical contact with family and friends.

This book will help children come to terms with and understand that they were not the only ones feeling sad because they had to live by a new set of rules and couldn't go out or see their family and friends during lockdown, as it was happening all over the world.

It is a poignant story for right now told in a humorous and engaging manner; the content is spot on describing all of the shared experiences of lockdown.

Beautifully written in rhyme accompanied by stunning illustrations, this is a wonderful book which isn’t just a relevant one for now but also for the future, enabling readers to look back on and remember the pandemic and how it changed everyone’s lives.

Wonderfully illustrated by Andy S. Gray

Reviewer - Anne Pritchard