Nobody hugs a cactus by Carter Goodrich

This must be part of the "I stretch my reading limits" review series. See, I... am not really a fan of Goodrich's picture books. They're just not my cup of tea (although I did like Hermit Crab). And I generally don't like books about loners that learn they really just need a hug by the end. But... this one turned out to be really cute and with a gentle, thoughtful message. Plus, I've been telling the kids stories about the time I picked prickly pears with my bare hands (do not do this) so I guess I have cacti on the brain.

Against a background of browns, fawn, golden, orange, and the pale blues of the sky, sits Hank. Hank is a cactus. He sits in a green bowl on a windowsill and meditates in the quiet and peace of the desert...

Augh! There goes a hare! And a tumbleweed! And a turtle! Hank gets more and more annoyed by each visitor, until a long-legged cowboy says maybe he needs a hug... "Too bad nobody hugs a cactus." Like most people, as soon as somebody says he can't have something, Hank kind of starts wondering if maybe... he does need a hug? And then Rosie the tumbleweed tumbles on by and Hank feels sorry for how rude he's been to her. So he finds a gift just for Rosie... and soon they are best friends and Hank finally gets his hug.

Verdict: A humorous and sweet story of a prickly character who finds out there is someone out there who will love him, prickles and all.

ISBN: 9781534400900; Published April 2019 by Simon & Schuster; Galley provided by publisher