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
  • *Best New Books*
    • Annual Best Lists
  • Reviews
    • One Star Review
    • Nonfiction
    • Toon Reviews
  • Articles
    • Authors
    • Link Du Jour
  • Covers
    • Covering the Newbery
    • Cover Curiosity
    • Unfortunate Covers
  • News
    • Books on Film
    • Morning Notes
  • Newsletter

August 11, 2022 by Travis Jonker

Read Aloud Hall of Fame #9: HUG MACHINE by Scott Campbell

August 11, 2022 by Travis Jonker   Leave a Comment

You need a book. A can’t miss book. A read aloud that will cast a wide net and pull everyone in. This is the idea behind The 100 Scope Notes Read Aloud Hall of Fame.

In each post I’ll share a read aloud that has never let me down. Some will be obvious and popular. Others lesser-known. All will be story time gold.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Click here to see all the Read Aloud Hall of Fame inductees.

Hug Machine by Scott Campbell

A hallmark of Emo music is the juxtaposition of quiet and loud. Each serves the other, making the music that much more dynamic (and dramatic, and anthemic, and other -ic words, probably). This is true in read alouds as well. And few books nail the combination of loud and quiet better than our latest inductee, Hug Machine by Scott Campbell.

Is that a boy on the cover? Nay, it’s a Hug Machine. The Hug Machine is on a mission to hug everyone (and everything) that wants one – including family members, members of the community, . . . trees, etc., with a special eye out for those who are labeled unhuggable (porcupines and whales). But when energy flags, who will come to the Hug Machines rescue?

This book has a slow build in volume and ridiculousness. Before long, you find yourself completely in character, shouting HUG! at the top of your lungs, to the delight of your listeners. And isn’t that everything you need?

Filed under: Read Aloud Hall of Fame

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
AtheneumScott CampbellSimon & Schuster

About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

September 2023

Read Aloud Hall of Fame #15: GROOVY JOE: DINOSAURS AND ICE CREAM by Eric Litwin and Tom Lichtenheld

by Travis Jonker

May 2023

Read Aloud Hall of Fame #14: IF I BUILT A SCHOOL by Chris Van Dusen

by Travis Jonker

February 2023

Read Aloud Hall of Fame #13: WHERE ARE MY BOOKS? by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

by Travis Jonker

January 2023

Read Aloud Hall of Fame #12: OTIS by Loren Long

by Travis Jonker

October 2022

Read Aloud Hall of Fame #11: ANANSI AND THE MOSS COVERED ROCK

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

‘What’s Your Favorite Season? Awards.’ Heavy Medal and Calling Caldecott Are Back!

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Review of the Day: The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Superman vs. Meshi | Review

by Johanna

Heavy Medal

Nonfiction Round-Up: A look at Mock Newbery possibilities, from plastic straws to World War II

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Book Review: Nothing Else But Miracles by Kate Albus

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

‘A Buoyant Ode to Joy’ Lane Smith Visits The Yarn

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Announced: 10 Contenders for the 2023 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature

Nine Funny Graphic Novels About Talking Animals | Stellar Panels

30 Picture Books to Celebrate the Diversity of Latinx Heritage

15 Visual Books to Help Students Grapple with Big Feelings

Kids’ Books in Spanish: More Variety and Authenticity Abound

SPONSORED

Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Author/Illustrator Blogs

    • Erin Stead Illustration
    • Hey, Rabbit!
    • James Preller's Blog
    • MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
    • Mo Willems Doodles
    • The Scop
  • Book Blogs I Like

    • A Book and a Hug
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • A Kids Book a Day
    • A Year of Reading
    • Abby (the) Librarian
    • Awful Library Books
    • Becky’s Book Reviews
    • Better Book Titles
    • Book-A-Day Almanac
    • Bookends
    • books4yourkids.com
    • bookshelves of doom
    • Bottom Shelf Books
    • Calling Caldecott
    • Caustic Cover Critic
    • Chad C. Beckerman
    • Charlotte’s Library
    • Cheryl Rainfield
    • Chicken Spaghetti
    • CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
    • Collecting Children’s Books
    • Cybils
    • EarlyWord
    • educating alice
    • Finding Wonderland
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Good Show Sir
    • GottaBook
    • Great Kid Books
    • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
    • Hi Miss Julie!
    • Jen Robinson’s Book Page
    • Kidsmomo
    • Maria T. Middleton Design
    • Nerdy Book Club
    • Neverending Search
    • Nine Kinds of Pie
    • One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
    • Out of the Box
    • Oz and Ends
    • PlanetEsme
    • Read Roger
    • Reading Rants!
    • Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
    • sharpread
    • ShelfTalker
    • so tomorrow
    • The Children's Book Review
    • The Miss Rumphius Effect
    • Uncovered Cover Art
    • Waking Brain Cells
    • Watch. Connect. Read.
  • Library Blogs

    • ALSC Blog
    • Blue Skunk Blog
    • librarian.net
    • LISNews
    • Stephen's Lighthouse
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Unshelved
  • 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