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.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

I received an ARC of this children's book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is adorable and funny!

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

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

How to Hug a Cactus by Emily S. Smith is a cute book to read at home as a family. As a teacher, I would not use it in the classroom for a couple of reasons.

One of the suggestions to hug a cactus is given by the mother and she tells her daughter to shave the cactus. I had a horrible accident as a child with a razor and feel like this would encourage children to play with razors.

There is also a part where there is a bra on the cactus which I know is meant in good fun but not appropriate for the classroom.

Overall, a fun bedtime story to read to children if the razor warning is mentioned while reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Windmill Books for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

I loved the concept behind this one, and the art is gorgeous, but I really didn't love how the mom's input was to just shave off the prickles like she shaved her legs. As if shaving solved her problems as well. It just felt, not super wonderful to me. However, the idea of finding ways to show affection safely was adorable!

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!