Chris Gurney
The Hug Blanket

"A joyful story of family, love and loss, but above all else, love."

One day, Dad told me that Nana had died suddenly. I didn't know what to do. Everything felt wrong. People said she had gone to a better place. I wondered how she could go to a place that was better than here with me.

A book to help children understand grief.

Shortlisted for NZ Booklovers Award for Best Children’s Book 2021



Interview with NZ Booklovers

Chris Gurney and Lael Chisholm talk about The Hug Blanket.

Tell us a little about The Hug Blanket. What inspired you to write or illustrate this book?
C – I was inspired to write this story after observing how my four year old granddaughter processed my Mum's sudden death. This is a true story. I didn't need to come up with a plot, just the right words to do it justice. I wanted to write a book that talked about love and loss, to which a child could easily relate.

What research was involved?
C – Not so much research, but I drew on the talent of the people in my fabulous author critique group. They encouraged and helped when I was too close to the story to see what needed to be included or discarded. I'm very thankful for their input.
L – I gathered lots of imagery that related to the story to use as reference for my illustrations, such as beaches, shells, crochet blankets, and even bread rolls! Chris also provided photos from real life that I tried to incorporate as much as I could. I wanted my illustrations to be flowing and bright and dreamy but still have aspects of the real-life story visible throughout the book.

The Hug Banket

How did you collaborate as writer and illustrator together?
C – I sent some photographs which showed the story as it happened in real life. Lael wove them beautifully into the story, as well as adding her extra special touches. I'm delighted how her illustrations create a soft, whimsical touch to what is quite a hard topic.

What was your routine or process when writing/illustrating this book?
C – I wrote the initial story for the first anniversary of my Mum's death and read it with the family gathered at her graveside. Then that story was rewritten many many times over before I submitted it and Scholastic eventually accepted it for publication.
L – I received the manuscript from Scholastic and read through it multiple times jotting down notes and quick little drawings of how I saw each “scene” of the story in my head. I then transferred those ideas into a storyboard, and then into rough drafts of each page. There was lots of discussion and feedback and adjusting and tweaking the drafts with the Publishers and Chris until we were all happy with how it looked, and then the final illustrations were ready to be painted. Once these were completed and I had sent photos of each page to the publishers for approval I packaged it all up and send it off to be scanned.

The Hug Banket

What did you enjoy the most about writing/illustrating this book?
C – Many tears were mixed in with the words as the story took shape! But it was a joy to write it to honour my Mum, and Olivia and Noah's ‘Nana B'.
L – I felt honoured to be illustrating such a special story. One of the things I enjoyed most while I was working on it was the opportunity to explore how I could visually express things that you can't actually see, such as emotions and memories, through my illustrations. I wanted Nana's memory and the connection she had with her granddaughter to be present throughout the whole story even though she is not physically in the picture on every page.

What did you do to celebrate finishing this book?
C – The celebration happened when lovely Penny from Scholastic contacted me to say they were going to publish the book. Imagine shrieky phone calls and of course the happy dance!
L – I finished my final artwork during the lockdown in March earlier this year, so I celebrated by going to bed early (I had spent a lot of late nights painting!) and catching up on jobs around the house.

The Hug Banket

What is the favourite book you have read so far this year and why?
L – I was given Ollie and Augustus by Gabriel Evans for my birthday this year. I think I like it because Augustus (the dog) is such a giant, quirky dog and is amusingly intelligent – he is not a regular dog that does regular dog stuff! I also love Gabriel Evans' illustration style.

What's next on the agenda for you? C – I generally have a story or two brewing in my cauldron. And more stories sighing impatiently in the piles of manuscripts within publisher's offices! I do have another 'Kiwi Corker' picture book being released by Scholastic NZ in 2021.
L – I have a couple of picture books to illustrate coming up, which should keep me busy for a while!

Reviews

This is a book for young children who are dealing with grief. Chris Gurney's sensitively written prose shows children it is okay to feel sad, and that comfort can be found in simple things... read more
KIWIreviews

I read this hard back picture book with a smile on my face, a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye. It is about the life and death of a grandmother and the relationship she had with her grandchildren especially her granddaughter who narrates the story.... read more
Bobs Books Blog

A joyful story of family, love and loss, but above all else, love... read more
Goodreads

The hug blanket is a more serious story but one sadly, most of us can relate to. Grief and the loss of a grandparent is hard at any time but this sweet picture book is one to share together as it offers some support, knowing that you are not alone in your grief. Other children experience loss too... read more
BookTrailers4kids

Reviews of Te Paraikete Tauawhi

This book in particular was a beautiful read; it made me feel a number of emotions, it made me feel happy, content, grateful, and sad. The words were beautiful, and they tied together the illustrations perfectly. The illustrator seems to understand the importance of how illustrations can capture the reader; this is especially true in this book.... read more
The Sapling

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The Hug Blanket
The Hug Blanket
Illustrated by Lael Chisholm
Publisher Scholastic New Zealand, 2020
ISBN Hardback - 978-1-77543-634-8
Age 4-7
RRP Hardback $19.99

from author Chris Gurney
Where to buy this book from Aotearoa Books
Where to buy this book from The Book Depository
Where to buy this book from Australian online store

The Hug Blanket
Te Paraikete Tauawhi
Translator by Ngaire Roberts
Illustrated by Lael Chisholm
Publisher Scholastic New Zealand, 2020
ISBN Paperback - 978-1-77543-697-3
Age 4-7
RRP Paperback $18.99

"A joyful story of whanau, love and loss, but above all else, love."


from author Chris Gurney
Where to buy this book from Aotearoa Books
Where to buy this book from The Sapling

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