The Longer the Wait, the Bigger the Hug Eoin McLaughlin 9780571370382

Everyone's favourite (socially distanced) characters return to help us through this challenging period.

Hedgehog is waiting for his friend Tortoise to wake up. But where is he and when will he wake?

Hedgehog's friends are all very lovely, but they just aren't as much fun at the beach, or at hide and seek, or at holding hands, or at hugs.

Tortoise begins to stir - the one boulder that Hedgehog didn't think he could lift to turn . . .

Tortoise has been dreaming of Hedgehog. And the hug that follows is their best yet!

A charming and touching new tale from the creators of the bestselling While We Can't Hug!

Polly Dunbar is one of the best-known illustrators working in the UK today. Polly's bestselling book, Penguin, won numerous awards including the BookTrust Early Year's Award, the Nestle Silver Children's Book Prize, the Red House Children's Book of the Year Award and was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal. Polly was chosen as one of BookTrust's Ten Best Illustrators. Polly is the illustrator of Shoe Baby, Pat-a-Cake Baby and two picture books written by David Almond. Polly created 'Tilly and Friends', a series which is now animated on CBeebies. Polly lives in the Waveny Valley, Suffolk with her partner and their two boys.

Eoin McLaughlin was born in Ireland and now lives in Surrey with his partner and their young son. When he's not hugging them, he's writing more stories. The Hug was his debut picture book. He also wrote Secret Agent Elephant, illustrated by Ross Collins and The Case of the Missing Cake, illustrated by Marc Boutavant, and has many more picture books in the pipeline.