Huggy Bug

Here is a sneak preview of one of the books which we hope will be ready for our relaunch as a publisher of digital books. This one is by Mark Thorne with illustrations by Sarah Campbell, and is a gentle warning for younger children about potential child abusers.

It will be a printable at home, because it’s meant as a colouring book, and we’re giving you a peak at one of the studies for the dragonfly (to be included in the illustration for page 9):

100% of the proceeds from this book will go to organisations which either deal with abused childen or educate them on the issue.

((You may suggest such organisations in the comment boxes below. We already have a few in mind, but your suggestions would be appreciated!)

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Huggy Bug

p1. This is Huggy Bug. (Her real name is Bella, but everybug calls her Huggy because… she loves to hug!)

p2. I know, I know. You have a question. The answer is that she gets up onto her two back legs and hugs with her FOUR front ones.

p3. Every morning, the first thing that Huggy does is to hug her Mama Bug and Papa Bug.

p4. Next, she hugs all her sisters and brothers… all 81 of them!

p5. When Huggy Bug arrives at school, she hugs her leech and all her classmites.

p6. Today, Huggy and SWARMS of her family are in the park.

p7. While 26 of her sisters and brothers are playing Cowbugs and Indie-Ants,

p8. 36 are buzzing around the apple blossoms,

p9. her sister Georgia is playing Saint Georgia and the Dragonfly,

p.10 and their Mama is busy talking to Ms. Roach,

p11. Huggy is hugging the other bugs in the sandbox and getting ready to build a sand witch [or sandhive?].

p12. An insect whom Huggy has never seen before is sitting on a park branch, watching the little bugs at play.

p13. He calls Huggy over.

p14. “Hello!” he says. “I’ve never seen you here before. What’s your name? Mine is Lawrence Louse. But you can call me Larry.”

p15. “My name is Bella Bug. But you can call me Huggy.”

“Well! That name surely suits you! I notice that you really like hugging. So do I…”

p16. But just then, Mama Bug flies up. She gives Mr. Louse such a look…

p17. that he jumps away, and is soon lost to sight.

p18. “We’re going to have to have a talk, Bella!” says Mama Bug sternly.

“What did I do wrong?” a worried Huggy wants to know. (Mama Bug only calls her Bella when she’s very upset or angry.)

p19. “Nothing, Dear…” says Mama much more gently. And then, turning and raising her voice, she calls “Children! Over here! On the buggle! Fly to it!”

p20. All the little bugs gather around Mama Bug, who sits on the park branch and waves her antennae around. “I have something to say. Listen carefully!

p21. “You must NEVER, EVER hug any grown-ups whom you don’t know well. Some are quite nasty creepy-crawlers.

p22. “Even the ones who seem nice… ESPECIALLY if they offer you tasty leaves to nibble! Sometimes they’re the worst of all!

p23. “And – I’m sorry to have to say this, but – even friends of your Papa and Mama, if they ask you to do anything that you’re uncomfortable with, or that sounds strange, or if they want to touch you when your Papa and I aren’t around…

p24. “you must say…?” and Mama Bug looks at her children expectantly.

p25. “NO!” chorus all the little ones.

(And Huggy Bug’s voice is the loudest of all!)

p26. “That’s RIGHT!” beams Mama, proud of her children. “Now buzz off! Back to play. But tell me if anybug acts strangely towards you.”

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