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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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 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!

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!

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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.