Truman Toad and the Quest for the Perfect Hug

A self-obsessed protagonist makes narcissism absolutely ribbiting in this gaily cantankerous picture book. Google-eyed amphibian Truman Toad lives solo “in a little apartment with a giant mirror.” Fond of talking to his reflection, he spends hours chatting with it about “such pleasant topics as Toad Fashion, Swamp Culture, and the charm of Puddle Picnics,” writes Lavie (The Bear Who Wasn’t There), instantly establishing a feel for the character’s nature. Then a sublime dream sends Truman seeking what mirrors can’t provide: an ideal embrace. In elegant line work, saturated washes, and marvelously emotive characters that feel like a cross between the work of Arnold Lobel and James Stevenson, Kuhl (Perfect Presents!) follows Truman through a parade of discarded snuggles with a menagerie of acquaintances—each hug a comic gem of interspecies awkwardness. A desperate newspaper ad seeking “the second half of the perfect hug” fails the amphibian but unites the rejected huggers; in a sweetly funny spread, everyone pairs off in happy clinches. Only when Truman accidentally tumbles into an unexpected pair of arms does he discover that a great hug “isn’t about holding tight but really about letting go.” For anyone seeking their own perfect something, this irresistibly funny title hints, the answer may lie in embracing imperfection. Ages 5–8. Author’s agent: Katelyn Detweiler, Jill Grinberg Literary. (Apr.)