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Jump to navigationJump to searchHugless Douglas by David Melling (view source)
Revision as of 16:42, 16 September 2010
, 16:42, 16 September 2010no edit summary
''Hugless Douglas'' brings to mind many children's books, like [[Are You My Mother? by PD Eastman]] and ''Where's Spot?'' - tales where the protagonist goes on an adventure, ticking off the characteristics that don't quite match up with their goal. It's well-worn territory, but Hugless Douglas feels surprisingly fresh and doesn't tread on the toes of what's been before. The humour is the great selling point here, and young book fans will have big smiles on their faces as Douglas falls afoul of his hugged items.
David Melling's cartoony illustrations suit ''Hugless Douglas'' very well. They allow full rein to the silliness, and give everything a high energy boost. In They might veer slightly towards being too cartoony for some tastes, in and of itselfthemselves, I'm not a devoted fan of the style - it's almost a little ''too'' cartoony at times - but I can't fault its their appropriateness here. When the expected happy ending rolls around, any possible mawkishness is tempted by the upbeat style. Don't worry, though: there's enough sweetness coming through to make it a satisfying and well-rounded read.
''Hugless Douglas'' is more than the sum of its parts. If picking it apart, it sounds fairly run of the mill, with a few nice touches. Actually sit down to read it, and it all clicks together to make for a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The writing is engaging, the vocabulary clear and accessible, and the core concept will strike a chord with any young book fans. Hugless Douglas is well-worth a look.
