SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Manga
  • All Ages
  • Young Adult
  • Interviews
  • News

September 4, 2018 by Brigid Alverson

‘Hugman’: A Little Red Man Made of Bricks

September 4, 2018 by Brigid Alverson   Leave a Comment

The Adventures of Hugman Banner

Sometimes we get review copies of books that are not comics but probably of interest to comics readers. Here’s a look at a set of books that came over the transom recently.

The Adventures of HugmanThe Adventures of Hugman
Hugman Goes to the Museum
Hugman and the Animals
Hugman Makes a Friend

By Nathan Sawaya and Maarten Lenoir
Hugman Books; $14.99 each
Ages 2-5

Nathan Sawaya is an artist who makes life-size sculptures out of Lego, and a few years ago he started making little men out of Lego and positioning them around New York City, hugging trees and signposts and such. This was the genesis of Hugman, the little red character that accompanies the little boy Nathan in these cheery self-published picture books.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

The first book is Hugman’s origin story: Nathan creates a little red man from his bricks (the term “Lego” is not used in the story, although it is in the frontmatter) and names him Human. The little man is sentient from the start, and soon he and Nathan are having all sorts of fun. Then Human runs away to the big city and goes around asking various objects if they want a hug. This doesn’t end well: A crow breaks off his arm. Fortunately, a friendly dog brings him back to Nathan, who fixes his arm and renames him Hugman. The titles of the other books are pretty self-explanatory.

These books have a cozy feel to them. If Hugman’s desire to hug everything seems a little weird, well, it’s countered by his charm and that of the other characters. The writing is simple, with plenty of repetition, and the dialogue is set off in a larger typeface. The art is colorful and just detailed enough for a young reader to grasp the page all at once.

This quartet of books is gentle and perfect for reading aloud, especially as young readers can have fun spotting Hugman on each page.

Filed under: All Ages

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Brigid Alverson

Brigid Alverson, the editor of the Good Comics for Kids blog, has been reading comics since she was 4. She has an MFA in printmaking and has worked as a book editor and a newspaper reporter; now she is assistant to the mayor of Melrose, Massachusetts. In addition to editing GC4K, she writes about comics and graphic novels at MangaBlog, SLJTeen, Publishers Weekly Comics World, Comic Book Resources, MTV Geek, and Good E-Reader.com. Brigid is married to a physicist and has two daughters in college, which is why she writes so much. She was a judge for the 2012 Eisner Awards.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

March 2023

Ben Mortara and the Thieves of the Golden Table | This Week’s Comics

by Brigid Alverson

March 2023

More 'Smurfs Tales' Coming from Papercutz | News

by Brigid Alverson

March 2023

Azuki Manga | Interview

by Brigid Alverson

March 2023

Hoops | This Week’s Comics

by Brigid Alverson

March 2023

Snowcat Prince | This Week’s Comics

by Brigid Alverson

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

One Star Review, Guess Who? (#184)

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Gerald McBoing Boing by Dr. Seuss

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Review: Nat the Cat Takes a Nap

by Esther Keller

Heavy Medal

March suggestions: early Mock Newbery possibilities

by Emily Mroczek-Bayci

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Here Be Monsters: On Horror, Catharsis, and Uneasy Truces with Yourself, a guest post by author Rebecca Mahoney

by Karen Jensen, MLS

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey Try Something New

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

10 Manga Titles for Teens Who Watch Anime

Manga, An All-Ages Starter List | Mondo Manga

Eight Essential Isekai Manga for Beginners | Mondo Manga

Funny Books for Unfunny Times

18 Superb Graphic Novel Adaptations for Kids and Teens

Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News & Features
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • School Libraries
  • Public Libraries
  • Age Level
  • Ideas
  • Blogs
  • Classroom
  • Diversity
  • People
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Book Lists
  • Best Books
  • Media
  • Reference
  • Series Made Simple
  • Tech
  • Review for SLJ
  • Review Submissions

SLJ Blog Network

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal
  • Neverending Search
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn

Resources

  • 2022 Youth Media Awards
  • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
  • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
  • Summer Reading 2021
  • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
  • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
  • Summer Programming Survey
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies
  • School Librarian of the Year
  • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
  • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

Events & PD

  • In-Person Events
  • Online Courses
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Content Submissions
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Diversity Policy
  • Careers at MSI


COPYRIGHT © 2023


COPYRIGHT © 2023