Nick Ortner - The Big Book of Hugs

Copyright 2016 by Nick Ortner

Published and distributed in the United States by: Hay House, Inc.: www.hayhouse.com Published and distributed in Australia by: Hay House Australia Pty. Ltd.: www.hayhouse.com.au Published and distributed in the United Kingdom by: Hay House UK, Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.uk Published and distributed in the Republic of South Africa by: Hay House SA (Pty), Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.za Distributed in Canada by: Raincoast Books: www.raincoast.com Published in India by: Hay House Publishers India: www.hayhouse.co.in

Illustrations and Book Design by: Michelle Polizzi designbylovelyday.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private useother than for fair use as brief quotations embodied in articles and reviewswithout prior written permission of the publisher.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4019-5172-6

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
1st edition, January 2016

Printed in the United States of America

A short, short time ago in a forest really, really
close to home, Barkley the Bear awoke with a startle.
He heard Mama and Papa Bear in the family room.

BARKLEY!
his dad called.

Barkley pounced into the family room.
Happy birthday, Barkley!

TODAY IS THE DAY,

Papa Bear said with a grin. You are now old enough to join
the family business of giving hugs and spreading love.
Finally! Barkley had been waiting for this day since he was a little cub.

As they set off, Barkley started to feel a little nervous. Papa, wait...
What if Im not good at this? What if I cant help everyone?

Papa Bear smiled at Barkley. Son, I worry about that
every day. To get ready to give others the love they need,
I start with the first hug of the day. Hugging yourself
gives you the confidence to share the love you have!

The first thing to know about hugs is that
HUGS ARE FREE
and can be given at any time.

When you give a hug, you are wrapping
your arms around the heart. The hug you
give depends on what that friend needs,
and its up to you to figure that out!

Papa Bear added, The second thing to know about hugs is that...

HUGS ARE EASY
TO GIVE
when words are hard to say. Now and then, people
have a hard time coming up with their words, like
Im sorry or Im upset, so we use a hug instead!

Lets find out what kinds of hugs we can give...

Papa Bear whispered, If you see a close friend before
they see you, its fun to give a surprise hug.

Papa Bear continued. If you havent seen a friend in a long time, you can
give a long hug. Or if you are saying good-bye to someone you may not see
for a while, its the perfect time for an extra, extra, extra long hug.

longer...

longer...

longer...

Sometimes friends give a hug with a
KISS ON
THE CHEEK!

That is their way of saying hello or good-bye.
This happens more if you travel outside this forest.

If two friends need a hug at the same time, you can hug
both together! We call this the pickle-in-the-middle hug.
Its fun to be the pickle! Barkley giggled as he watched.

Papa Bear moved closer to a tree as he said,
Humans help take care of the forest and keep it safe.
They cherish this place so much, we call them tree huggers!

WE CAN DO THAT, TOO!

Little friends like the tornado hug because its fun.
Pick them up while you hug and twirl around! Be careful
when you put them back down, just in case theyre
DIZZY!

Barkley practiced his twirl to look just like his dads.

Sometimes Ill do the pick-me-up hug when Im
excited to see someone. Its like the tornado hug
without the twirling. Make sure to get those toes
OFF THE
GROUND!

Papa, said Barkley quietly. What about that friend?
He pointed toward a big tree.

Yes, you might come across someone who doesnt
look like they want a hug. Asking if it is okay to give
a hug is a good idea. They may say yes, but there
are times that they would rather just be alone.

Papa Bear put his hand on Barkleys shoulder and said,
They know how much you care, but they may not want a
hug right then. Thats okay. You can think about them and
give them a hug in your mind. That means just as much!

Papa Bear and Barkley continued through the woods,
paying attention to the friends around them. If you have
a lot of friends you want to hug at once, it is a good idea