View source for Merry Christmas, Hugless Douglas by David Melling

{{infobox1
|title= Merry Christmas, Hugless Douglas
|author=David Melling
|reviewer= Linda Lawlor
|genre= For Sharing
|summary= A joyous, gentle story about a popular and well-beloved bear which cannot fail to add to the festive cheer for little ones.
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=32
|publisher=Hodder Children's Books
|date=October 2017
|isbn=9781444906844
|website=http://www.davidmelling.co.uk
|cover=Melling_Xmas
|aznuk=1444906844
|aznus=1444906844
}}
 
Hugless Douglas is a large, comfy sort of bear who burst onto the picture book scene a few years ago as he searched for just the right sort of hug. His endearing, hopeful face and that chubby (to put it politely) body instantly melted young hearts, and to universal delight we have since been treated to several more of his adventures. Douglas is hugless no longer, you'll be glad to know, but the name stuck, mostly because it's such fun to say (go on, try it!) and because he still bumbles through life embracing everything in sight as if cuddles are about to go out of fashion.
 
In this, his eighth adventure, there is fluffy white snow on the ground, but everyone in the wood is snug and warm in woolly mittens, scarves and hats as they search for the perfect Christmas tree. Our rather over-excited friend dashes around, and together he and his friends play all the best possible snow games – having a snowball fight, making snow angels and a snowman, and generally slippy-sliding about. And then they meet a really special someone who helps them get their chosen tree home. To be honest, there's not much more to the plot than that: the book is more of a set of double-page spreads of good friends having lots of fun than a story, but maybe that's not such a bad thing. After all, there's plenty more to get the little ones over-stimulated at this time of year! There's a flavour of nostalgia, something familiar, relaxed and comfortable about this book which touches the very essence of the festive season, and it's a good bet it will be brought out every year, along with the tinsel and fairy lights, to be read and read again. And those suggestions at the back for lots of lovely Christmas activities will delight little ones - and bigger ones too!
 
Douglas is quite a favourite here at Bookbag. Look out for [[Hugless Douglas by David Melling|Hugless Douglas]], where our hero tries to find the perfect hug; [[Don't Worry Douglas by David Melling|Don't Worry Douglas]], about an anxious moment when something goes wrong; [[Hugless Douglas and the Great Cake Bake by David Melling|Hugless Douglas and the Great Cake Bake]], which does exactly what it says on the tin; [[Hugless Douglas Finds A Hug by David Melling|Hugless Douglas Finds a Hug]] (hurray!), and of course [[We Love You, Hugless Douglas by David Melling|We Love You, Hugless Douglas]] because we all do, don't we? Oh, come on - how could anyone resist that big, goofy grin?
 
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