Don't Hug Doug : (He Doesn't Like It)

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And I’m grateful when people share their labels and give us all a broader understanding of what it means to live with a particular diagnosis or condition. This book is perfect to pair with Can I Give you a Squish by Emily Nelson or Don’t Touch My Hair by Sharee Miller. Students need to understand that some people need more space than others, and there is nothing wrong with that!

Don’t Hug Doug – Teachers | Books | Readers Don’t Hug Doug – Teachers | Books | Readers

I believe those four words, “don’t take it personally” are at the heart of what makes acceptance of certain preferences and behaviors, such as dislike of hugging, difficult, and why I believe people sometimes seek out a label by way of explanation. A gently humorous picture book that kindly, effectively highlights the importance of asking others before initiating physical contact. There is a written response and activity sheet to help students learn ways to ensure every classmate feels included. Often, students do something and do not realize that everyone is unique and has different comfort levels. Author Carrie Finison and illustrator Daniel Wiseman wrote a fun story about an essential aspect to understand!LouAnn, a stout black bear, is frying doughnuts for one last pre-hibernation meal, and she’s looking forward to eating them all by herself. It’s a concept book about consent that explains to the reader that some people like hugs, some people (like Doug) don’t — and that’s OK —and that the way to find out whether someone wants a hug is to ask. Offer noise-canceling headphones, a quieter room to sit in, or just ask others to keep things quieter. When learning the importance of respecting personal space, it is crucial for students to share their preferences.

Goodreads 2023 Monarch Award Nominees (20 books) - Goodreads

My recently-released picture book, DON’T HUG DOUG, illustrated by Daniel Wiseman, is about a young boy who does not like hugs. This upbeat, second person–perspective narrative introduces readers to Doug, a smiling child with dark hair, light brown skin, and round red glasses, who does not like hugs—the lone exception being a “JUST RIGHT/ bedtime hug /from his mom. The good news is that the kid readers I’ve interacted with are very accepting of Doug and his preferences, and are eager to express their own hugging preferences, too. Whether someone is “a Doug” or not, I hope books like this can help us all let go of the need for explanations and labels, and make room for others’ preferences with the acceptance, empathy, and respect they deserve. Don’t get me wrong, there is a place for labels, especially when they help people to get the specialized treatment or services they need within the education and healthcare systems.In rapid-fire parallel sentences, characters suggest situations in which Doug might like a hug (“hello hugs,” “goodbye hugs,” “game-winning home run hugs,” and “dropped ice cream cone hugs” round out one paneled page) before Doug shuts each of them down firmly with a friendly smile and a negatory response. If a person doesn’t like hugs, and is autistic, for example, then that feels like an “acceptable” explanation. I don’t want readers mentally diagnosing Doug every time they read the book, the same way we shouldn’t be mentally diagnosing the people around us based on their preferences and behaviors.

Carrie Finison: Don’t Hug Doug (And Don’t Label Him, Either) Carrie Finison: Don’t Hug Doug (And Don’t Label Him, Either)

Teachers work hard to ensure students understand how the material taught in the classroom relates to life outside of school. But even more, I want Doug’s character to feel universal and to remind readers of what we have in common. In a board book that reads like a picture book, an unseen narrator offers advice for caring for an under-the-weather elephant. But if a person doesn’t like hugs for…no particular reason, it’s somehow much more difficult for the would-be hugger to accept. This book provides a great way to show students how important it is to ask someone if they want a hug or not!Don’t Hug Doug and the Read Aloud Activities are essential to understanding the Social Emotional Learning skill. It makes me happy when I hear that a child with sensory issues, for example, relates to Doug, and that reading the book helps adults in their lives understand their preferences a little better. Additionally, it includes an introduction to help prepare students and sets the purpose for the story. She lives outside of Boston with her husband, son, and daughter, and two cats who allow her to work in their cozy attic office. Students need to understand what personal space is and the importance of respecting each person’s comfort level.