Read aloud: The Cuddliest Cuddle in the World

I read the title with all my heart, "The Cuddliest Cuddle in the World!"  

I got their attention.  

They waited for my next overacting gesture. 

I read the names of the writers, "By Sarah Nash and Daniel Howarth."

I explained a bit. "Sarah-lah yang tulis buku ni.  Daniel pulak lukis semua gambar dalam buku ni."

We discussed the cover page.  Who hugs who, how many dragonfly.

I stopped for surprised questions by Iesha, "Kenapa kuku Mummy Ye-ped tu tajam, Mummy?", "Kenapa dragonfly tu ada satu, kenapa tak ada dua?"

I needed to be quick to answer such questions with the best answers.  

When my brain didn't working at its best, I asked them back, "Iris, Iesha rasa kenapa ye?"

Pointing at the first empty page, I asked them, "What color is this page?" 

They answered me in unison, "Orange!"

Then I started the read aloud session. 

The book is about a lonely baby leopard.  His Mummy is off searching for food.  He misses Mummy's cuddle.  Bear, snake, and monkey all try to make him better with their hugs, but none seems to work.  The bear hugs him too tight.  The monkey's too swooshy.  The crocodile's too snappy.  The hyena licks him.  The spider offers to hug him too and that makes him smiling, "You are too small to hug me, Spider."  This is a nice and warm book, albeit the scary illustration of hyena and python.  We would have our group hug at the end of reading.  The tightest and cuddliest cuddle I could ever give to them.  I'd love to be the hyena too, licking Iesha on her cheek, she would scream, "Jangan-yah Mummy!!!  Dirty-yahhhh!!!"   Hehe, funny.

I want these!