Cuddle Monkey

September 16, 2019
Lewis, a young monkey, can’t get enough cuddles. In grainy mixed-media artwork, newcomer Otis draws Lewis as a toylike simian with a swooping tale, a curlicue on his head, and long arms just right for big hugs. Lewis stays flexible as his harassed parents care for the house and deal with a younger sibling: “So, Lewis snuggled all his stuffed animals,” but they don’t snuggle back.
Lewis has to wait through school, a non-cuddle-friendly space (“cuddling the school bus driver was too dangerous”), and through dinner, too, until bedtime brings the monkey what he needs. The realistic portrayal of frustrated waiting (“This time, Lewis waited six whole minutes”) becomes all too vivid for the reader as Lewis is briefly denied the affection he craves. Hellman (Something Smells!) writes with energy and humor (“Owen was wiggly and squiggly and definitely not a good cuddler”), delivering the message that being in a family means sometimes having to wait for what you want—but not forever. Ages 4–8.

October 1, 2019
Lewis, an anthropomorphic monkey, can't get a cuddle. Little Lewis longs for a cuddle from his parents, but they're busy with baby brother Owen. He improvises by trying to cuddle books, toys, and then others at school. "He even tried to cuddle a puddle (just because it rhymed)." Back at home, his mother urges him to teach Owen to cuddle, but the results are "wiggly and squiggly" rather than cozy. Otis' art shows great energy and a strong design sensibility, but the characters themselves, all anthropomorphic monkeys, may give readers pause in the wake of librarian Edi Campbell's public scholarship on the racist history of illustrated apes or Henry Louis Gates' coverage of the same content in Stony the Road (2019). Author Hellman's bio claims "cuddle monkey" as a self-identifier, and illustrator Otis dedicates the book to his "two cuddle monkeys," demonstrating both innocent intentions and, perhaps, the lack of awareness that undergirds them. By the time Lewis finally gets a bedtime cuddle from his parents, storytelling rather than ideology may trip up readers: Why was a quick hug so hard to come by earlier in the day? Poor Lewis! Not a sure pick to cuddle up with. (Picture book. 3-7)

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November 1, 2019
Preschool-G For little monkey Lewis, there's nothing better than cuddling, and he hopes morning snuggles from Mama will be the start of a hug-filled day. But once downstairs, his parents are too busy with baby brother Owen. Meanwhile, increasingly impatient Lewis tries hugging bananas, toys, even a puddle ( Not his best plan ever ), but it's not the same. And at school, classmates and staff don't have interest in or time for hugs?and cuddling the bus driver was too dangerous ?leaving Lewis more disappointed. But back home, Mama suggests Lewis teach Owen to cuddle. It's not easy, though the results are promising. Finally, at bedtime, Papa gives Lewis a great, big good-night squeeze, as does Mama, in a sweet, satisfying conclusion. Colorful, cartoonish multimedia illustrations add pep and humor to Lewis' somewhat obsessive cuddle quest. While touching on themes of having a new sibling, enduring the challenges of being patient, and learning about personal boundaries, this ultimately lands on a reassuring note that, with family, hugs are an inevitability, even if it takes a while to get your turn.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)