Warm, fuzzy, and full of feelings…
Rogers’s debut picture book centers on a simple but meaningful lesson: love means listening. Cleo loves a good cuddle, but not the kind that comes with squeals, surprise grabs, or rough pats. Poor Emma means well, but she just hasn’t quite learned the art of the gentle approach.
Rogers’s rhymes are light on their feet and ideal for read-alouds. He strikes a warm balance between humor and instruction. Alison Mutton’s soft and expressive illustrations add a visual tenderness that lets readers feel every moment of Cleo’s discomfort, curiosity, and final contentment. At its heart, this is a story about learning to pause, to watch, to change. It’s about how kindness isn’t loud, and how affection, when offered gently, can be returned with trust. Young readers will see themselves in Emma, feel for Cleo, and come away with a new understanding of what it means to love with care.
A tender, teachable tale; soft as fur, firm in message, and perfect for any storytime that ends in a snuggle.
Pub date April 16 2025
ISBN 978-1763686113
Price $9.99 (USD) Paperback, $0.00 Kindle edition
Reading age Baby-6
Length 27 pages
