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Douglas the bear wants a hug. He remembers that some of his best hugs are with big things, so he tries hugging a boulder. That doesn't work so well. What about a tall tree? Nup. Hmm... Poor Douglas. He's going to have to keep hunting around if he wants to get his hug.
''Hugless Douglas'' brings to mind many children's books, like [[''Are You My Mother? '' by PD Eastman]] and ''Where's Spot?'' - tales where the protagonist goes on an adventure, ticking off the characteristics that don't quite match up with their goal. It's well-worn territory, but Hugless Douglas feels surprisingly fresh and doesn't tread on the toes of what's been before. The humour is the great selling point here, and young book fans will have big smiles on their faces as Douglas falls afoul of his hugged items.
David Melling's cartoony illustrations suit ''Hugless Douglas'' very well. They allow full rein to the silliness, and give everything a high energy boost. They might veer slightly towards being too cartoony for some tastes, in and of themselves, but I can't fault their appropriateness here. When the expected happy ending rolls around, any possible mawkishness is tempted by the upbeat style. Don't worry, though: there's enough sweetness coming through to make it a satisfying and well-rounded read.