How to Hug a Cactus

This was one of the cutest kids books I’ve ever read. What a darling story of perseverance to hug that cactus friend. My 4 year old adored this tale and the pictures/illustrations were so fun to look at. This book is one of our new favorites in the house, excellent work.

Quick Summary: Super rhyming fun

My Review: How to Hug a Cactus by Author Emily S. Smith and Illustrator Aleksandra Szmidt was a delightful read. I absolutely adored everything this book had to offer. From the cover to the colorful art to the super rhyming fun, this peculiar, little story was a gem.

My Final Say: Kids will love this story. They will definitely appreciate the creative problem-solving, the hilarious hijinks, the family brainstorming ideas, and the takeaway message.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: Ages 4 and Up

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the illustrator, to the publisher, and to NetGalley, who provided access to this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own.

* A Goodreads review has been posted.

If you have ever wanted to hug a cactus, this book is for you! It's a fun story with great illustrations.

Written in couplets, there are good rhymes. The girl wants to hug a cactus to make it grow. Different people in her family give solutions for how to hug the cactus. She finally finds one that works, but then has another problem. Overall, it is a cute story.

This kind of illustration is my weakness when it comes to story picture books!

This is such a weird story about a little girl who wants to hug her cactus plant SO BAD! Everyone tries to help her achieve her mission. But she is struggling for sure as you can imagine. But then there’s the grandmother who has all the solutions to everything. Try to find out what she tells the girl to do!

Thank you to the lady with the hat and the lady without the specs and Windmill Books for the advance reading copy.

Cute book with even cuter illustrations. A little girl has a bond with her cactus and wants to hug it so it could continue to grow. She tries a countless amount of things to try to hug the cactus without being injured. Ultimately finding the resolution and having the ability to hug her cactus. Shows children that you can achieve anything you put your mind to.

This book was so cute. I loved the rhyming and joe determined the girl was in giving her cactus a hug. My kids really enjoyed it and want to make a space suit now.

Sweet book with rhyming easy to read pages. Catchy and fun. The illustrations are eye catching and lovely. We really enjoyed this book and my children couldn’t help giggling throughout the entire thing.

The book is just the right length for this age level. Illustrations are wonderful. Main character is relatable and a problem solver!

I was so excited when I saw this book because my classroom is cactus-themed! This book is so cute and would definitely make kids laugh out loud! I like how it shows perseverance and problem-solving skills through humor. Kids will love it!

Awww I loved this book. I liked how it rhymes and how smoothly the story flowed.

The illustrations were so cute too.

I liked that it was a book where you could talk to your child and ask if they had any idea for how to hug a cactus.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I liked the story of a girl determined to problem solve and find a way to hug her cactus! Great illustrations too.

The right side of bonkers, this pleasurably daft story has a girl intent on finding a way to hug her cactus, to give it some growing, nurturing love. It's got really strong visuals, a perfect rhyming format, and a decent punchline. An ideal lesson in perseverance, brave enough to have a character intent on the most cockamamie of plans, as opposed to something more mundane, this is more or less flawless.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. A little girl wants to hug a cactus but it would hurt a lot. She asks all her family and friends for help but nothing seems to help. Can she solve the problem?

A fantastic story about being persistent, inventive and caring. The plot follows a child who wants to hug her cactus to help it grow. They try all different ways and get ideas in lots of places.
There have been so many books about hugging prickly things I’ve lost count. So when I saw this text I was wondering what could be different. However this book is fantastic because of the details! Each strategy is considered from different angles, is it doable for the child, will it affect the cactus. You could use this text as a STEM provocation in an inquiry if you are a teacher. The illustrations are bright and clear. I highly recommend this story! One of the best cactus stories!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great children's book! I loved it. It will definitely be a book I recommend for our library.

Oh my goodness what a adorable story and the cutest illustrations of a sweet little cactus with its sweetest little smile. I wish I can pinch its cheeks..wait ow!! It seems me and the little girl in the story have the same problem…how can we hug a cactus by not getting hurt? We just want to show our love and help it grow!! I loved this story and how the girl problem solves with the help of her family to solve this very important problem.
I can’t wait to get a physical copy at home.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The sweetly illustrated cover immediately caught my attention. I found the illustrations to be sweet, expressive, and fun to examine. The prose rhymes, and I could easily envision myself reading this aloud to a group of children. The rhythmic flow of the prose allows for easy reading, and I wouldn't need to stare at the page the entire time to read it aloud. The story itself is cute and funny. The young protagonist receives a lot of advice on how to change the cactus, but finds a minor adjustment to herself provides her and the cactus with the hugs she desires. Not at all preachy, this book could open up discussion on other ways to hug the cactus or things she could do instead of hugging the cactus. Children often have funny solutions, and I'm sure this book would inspire lots of fun ideas for them to suggest.

As a plant lover, I really enjoyed reading this!. Emily Smith has put together a lovely story with captivating words that kids will love. Combine the writing with Aleksandra Szmidt's beautiful and colorful illustrations, and poof! you have the most engrossing present for your toddler. I think this book is great not only to encourage your little one to read, but also ignite their curiosity and love for nature.

I loved the illustrations and story! It’s a great story on persevering when you run into a problem. The little girl goes to each of her family members to see if they can help her find a solution so she can hug her cactus friend. She finds a solution in the end, but ends up with a different problem! How do you get unstuck after hugging a cactus?! This is definitely a book I can see helping my child when they’re faced with a problem!

How To Hug A Cactus by Emily S. Smith

This is an adorable book about a girl and her cactus. All the little girl wants to do is hug her cactus and show it the love it needs to grow. She asks various members of her family for ideas on how to hug her cactus but none of them work. The suggestions were accompanied by cute illustrations of the girl and her cactus testing each one out. Just when the girl and her cactus are about to give up hope, they find a way to finally share a hug!

I found that this book is a great lesson in never giving up on your dream. If it is something you really want, you will find a way to make it happen!

I would like to thank NetGalley, Emily S. Smith, Aleksandra Szmidt, and Windmill Books for allowing me to read this advanced copy of How To Hug A Cactus.

How to Hug a Cactus is a super cute picture book, I loved the rhymes, the illustrations, and the message to not give up!

A sweet book about a young girl who desperately wants to hug her cactus because she loves it and wants to help it grow. She goes in search of a solution and receives a variety of ideas from her family members…none of which seem to work. In the end she discovers a way to hug her cactus, but can she let him go?? A great book for asking for help and problem solving.

In this story we follow along as attempt after attempt is made to find a way to hug a cactus. From marshmallows to bubble wrap we see each suggestion play out and the result of how it failed until finally a way is found to finally hug that cactus. Cute illustrations I love the cactus's little face its just precious. My one year old liked the colors of the pictures.

It is an adorable book all around. The story is very entertaining for kids and the illustrations are some of the best I have seen. I will definitely be recommending it.

How to Hug a Cactus is a lofty endeavor indeed. In this charming picture book, a child asks for advice from their family but find a solution to their problem on their own.

The simple rhyming sets the tone for a story of a friend desperate to help. The excitement, the disappointment, and the frustration are clear in both the words and pictures. The illustrations are adorable and add a great sense of atmosphere and character to a rich story. It's a cute tale that can be enjoyed by many. Storytime crowds will love the twist ending.

This brand new picture book by Emily S. Smith is a simple story of a child persisting to find a way to hug a cactus. As a whole, it’s clean with an adorable story and a funny surprise ending.

A very cute and lovely children’s story about a little girl who just wants to hug her cactus 🌵! I loved tha the story rhymes too. I think young kids will love this story

Great book, very cute, will be purchasing for the library for the children's section collection and use for story times

5 ⭐️

Oh my gosh these illustrations and story come together to make the most adorable fun story.

How does one hug a cactus to ensure it grows up strong but doesn't hurt you in the process. This little girl goes thru so many iterations and going to others for ideas. She tries them all and never gives up.

I am a giant sucker for a cute adorable cactus with the sweet smile. The rest of the illustrations are also just as cute, bright, and fun details.

I will be keeping an eye out for more books from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Windmill Books for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

I will be posting my review on my Instagram page the.littlest.bookworm and major retail sites close to or on publication date.

This is an adorable little book about solving problems and testing out solutions to find the one that works the most.

If you love your cactus, how are you supposed to hug it to help it grow?

The little girl in the book tries many ways to try to hug her beloved cactus. She tries pillows and continues trying to find creative solutions to her dilemma with suggestions from her family. No matter what she tries, nothing works until she sees an expert on TV who can touch a cactus. She sets to work making her own similar solution so she can finally hug her cactus.

This book is so cute. The illustrations are absolutely adorable. The images of the attempted solutions are amusing. The expression on the cactus's face were my favorite part of the illustrations. The book also ends on such a sweet note after the story of perseverance. The book rhymes nicely, and it's perfect for a short read-aloud.

How to Hug a Cactus by Emily S. Smith

I love this story. Such an adorable picture book for children that really pulls on your heart strings. How to Hug a Cactus is a story that follows a little girl who wants so badly to find a way to hug her cactus. She goes on the hunt for finding a way to do this without bringing harm to herself. I read this with my children, 4- and 7-year-olds, and we all loved it. The illustrations are beautiful and inviting.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of How to Hug a Cactus by Emily S. Smith.
A sweet picture book with great illustrations. If hugs help you grow, then a young girl must figure out a way to hug her cactus. This book would make a great book for problem solving and possibly a STEM class.

The young protagonist of this book has been told that hugging helps with growth. She wants her pet cactus to grow but hugging it is a bit prickly. Perseverance and creativity save the day as she discovers other ways to show love with a prickly friend, er, plant.

Me and my children read this book. With all the characters within. It's about a girl that want to hug her cactus but can't because it sticks to her and hurts a lot. Throughout the story she finds different way to hug the cactus. Will she find a way that doesn't hurt that much? Because cactus have shaped needle that protects there soft skin.

This was fun to read and find out if she finds a way to hug her cactus. The illustrations went well with the story and were colorful.

I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. This is my honest unbiased opinions.