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How to Build a Hug: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine

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Amy Guglielmo, Jacqueline Tourville, and Giselle Potter come together to tell the inspiring story of autism advocate Dr. Temple Grandin and her brilliant invention: the hug machine.

As a young girl, Temple Grandin loved folding paper kites, making obstacle courses, and building lean-tos. But she really didn’t like hugs. Temple wanted to be held—but to her, hugs felt like being stuffed inside the scratchiest sock in the world; like a tidal wave of dentist drills, sandpaper, and awful cologne, coming at her all at once. Would she ever get to enjoy the comfort of a hug?

Then one day, Temple had an idea. If she couldn’t receive a hug, she would make one…she would build a hug machine!

48 pages, Hardcover

First published August 28, 2018

3 people are currently reading
386 people want to read

About the author

Amy Guglielmo

23 books94 followers
Amy Guglielmo is an award-winning author, artist, art educator, public art and STEAM advocate. She writes children’s books about strong, pioneering women, and artsy, innovative people. Her titles include: the Christopher award-winning POCKET FULL OF COLORS: The Magical World of Mary Blair Disney Artist Extraordinaire (Atheneum 2017), the Touch the Art series (Sterling, 2006, 2009, 2010) and the PEEK-A-BOO ART Series (Cartwheel/Scholastic 2019, 2020) with Julie Appel, HOW TO BUILD A HUG: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine (Atheneum 2018) with co-author Jacqueline Tourville, CEZANNE'S PARROT (Putnam 2020) and JUST BEING DALI (Putnam 2021), the upcoming, LUCILLE BALL DID IT ALL (Abrams 2024), and the new WHAT THE ARTIST SAW series with The Metropolitan Museum of Art and DK. Amy is the Creative Director of Reading Rainbow Live. She brings over twenty years of experience in both children’s publishing and public and private school education to the Reading Rainbow Live team. Amy is represented by Stephen Barbara at InkWell Management. For more information go to www.amyguglielmo.com.

Amy lives with her husband on the shores of Mexico and Lake Champlain where she enjoys water sports just as long as she doesn't have to get her hair wet.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
Profile Image for Dave Schaafsma.
Author 6 books32.1k followers
October 29, 2018
I first read about Temple Grandin in an article by Oliver Sacks in The New Yorker:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/19...

long before I would have children, never imagining that two of them would have autism. Neither of them are anything like Professor Grandin, a "savant," a student of animal science. and known world-wide as an expert on autism, her own experience of it. I have since come to read many works of hers on the subject.

This picture book focuses on Grandin's already famous invention of a "hugging" machine for the humane treatment of animals, which connects to in some ways better than to humans. I especially liked the illustration work here of Giselle Potter, whose early work I also really liked, This is my Dollhouse:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


Profile Image for Rachel Aranda.
980 reviews2,288 followers
October 16, 2022
4 stars

Dr. Temple Grandin is such an icon for women in science and in the disability community. She deserves all the recognition in the world, and I pray she lives for a super long time. This book was an option to read to kids in the library but biographies can be tricky to read. This was a fantastic book so can’t see how the kids wouldn’t be interested in this woman!
Profile Image for Moonkiszt.
2,926 reviews335 followers
August 20, 2021
Featured in a grandma reads session.

Temple Grandin is a hero! She is honest and ok with being awkward, knows that life can be uncomfortable. Often. In this book she shares her childhood discomfort with people coming at her with arms wide open, ready for a hug. We have a few non-huggers in our reading group, so this was a perfect choice, and interest was deep and palpable.

Her hug machine gave her an alternative, because she surely wanted all the other wonderful good stuff that others got when those hungry arms wrapped a person up: the great feels, the warm fuzzies, the understanding that love surrounds no matter what. Her machine did a pretty good job of capturing the good stuff that comes from that nest of a hug.

She was not a hugger, until she was. Her machine helped her change her mind.

Sometimes we all need a transitory vehicle to help us change our minds.

We enjoyed this read immensely.
Profile Image for Sunday.
1,022 reviews55 followers
August 20, 2020
Great read aloud for k-3 with lots of potential for thoughtful discussions. I'd ask children/students to define what we mean by "hug." Chances are they will talk about the embrace, but they won't mention the emotional needs met by a hug. Or maybe they will. Either way, I'd return to their definition after you read aloud the book and ask them to explain further by asking "How would you define a hug?" and if needed, "Why do we hug? Should we make that part of the definition of a hug?" or "What else can say about what we mean by "hug"?

OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERACTIVE READ ALOUD (after you read the book aloud once for enjoyment, huh?) -

MAKE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE ILLUSTRATIONS AND THE TEXT -
*On the page that starts "Temple did not like scratchy socks..." - ask, "What do you notice about Temple in these illustrations? Why do you think the illustrator chose to portray Temple in this way?"
*On the page that starts "At school, Temple wasn't like other kids..." ask, "How does the illustrator show the contrast between Temple and the other students?"
*On the page that starts, "Sometimes, when Temple was having a really bad day...," ask "What do you notice in this illustration? Why do you think Temple seems satisfied here?"
*The author's note says that Temple "thinks in pictures" or can visualize easily. On the page that starts, "Her aunt explained that the squeeze chute..," what do you think Temple was beginning to visualize there? What in the illustration and the written description of the squeeze chute makes you think so?
*Look up an image of a "hug machine" (there are a lot) and ask students to compare to the illustration in the book. "Would you want a hug machine? Why or why not?"

MAKE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AND THE BOOK. Read aloud the book and then read aloud the author's note (or sections of the note).
**Before reading aloud the author's note, pose the question, "What can you add to your learning?" Stop after key paragraphs or sentences for students to think aloud.
**(For 2nd & 3rd grade) You might read aloud the quote by Temple, "Small itches..." and then return to and read aloud again, the two page spread in the book, "Temple did not like scratchy socks..."; project both in some way if possible. Then ask, "What does the quote add to what we learned from these two pages?"
**Read aloud the quote that starts the author's note, "I use my mind to solve problems and invent things" and ask students to use this as a lens for discussing the big ideas in the book.
**Read aloud Temple's quote about "art was what saved me" and ask the students to return to the book and think about how the authors revealed this.
**Read aloud the paragraph "When Temple invented her 'hug machine'...what she really discovered was that when..." (beautiful paragraph!!!) and ask students to think about how this note adds to what they learned from the book. (Maybe return and reread aloud beginning at the two-page spread "Temple called for her aunt to come see..."

ASK STUDENTS TO WRITE/ILLUSTRATE RESPONSES. Oh, there's so much you could do here. Put the book in the classroom library and leave for students to read again on their own or in small group and then write responses. They might generate their own ideas or they might define words like "hug" and write about what a hug meant to Temple and what a hug means to them and so forth.

WOOHOO!!!! SO MUCH FUN!!!!

This title received a California Reading Association’s
2018 EUREKA! Nonfiction Children’s Book Silver Award.
Profile Image for Amber Webb.
735 reviews19 followers
July 25, 2018
A special thanks to Emma Ledbetter for sending this book on a #BookExcursion for review.

I know very little about Temple Grandin, but this book was such an excellent introduction to who she was, what she felt and how she handled those feelings as well as beginning to understand how her mind worked. This was an absolutely fascinating non-fiction picture book that would be an excellent addition to classrooms as we continue to expand the availability of books about people who have differences.
The way this picture book is set up you are able to understand how people with such disabilities feel or think in certain situations. Children may begin to have more compassion and empathy for those who learn and feel differently than they do.
The book begins with getting to know Grandin as a child and learner and the struggles she faced. Then it followed her to boarding school and her time on her aunt's farm. Throughout the unfolding of the story you see how Temple is always thinking about every situation she observes and endures and is constantly looking for a solution.
There is much to be said for endurance, problem solving, creative thinking and a growth mindset within the pages of this book. I am happy to share it with my students.
Profile Image for Sharon.
1,753 reviews24 followers
November 23, 2018
Timely picture book about Temple Grandin. As a child she found language difficult, and she was hypersensitive to sound and smell. However, she had the uncanny ability to think in pictures, and had a soothing relationship with animals. With a strong message that autism does not place limits and intelligence or creativity, this book would find a wide audience in all libraries that serve children. Watercolor illustrations.
Profile Image for Sandy Brehl.
Author 8 books134 followers
September 15, 2018
This is an accessible presentation of true events in the early life of the amazing Temple Grandin. She is known for her advocacy for humane treatment of animals and realistic/humane treatment of all humans (particularly those with autism). In this case, the authors do an impressive job of portraying the Grandin's dilemma in longing to understand and even enjoy the sensation of hugging, while suffering from such sensory overload that hugs were physically painful to her and intolerable.
This is an ideal door-opener to more extended biographic content on Grandin, but also general explorations of differences in sensory responses among the population as a whole.
Profile Image for KC.
2,601 reviews
October 11, 2018
A wonderful look at Temple Gandin about her work, her love of animals and her creative invention-the hug machine.
5,870 reviews144 followers
April 8, 2021
How to Build a Hug: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine is a children's picture book written by the team of Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville and illustrated by Giselle Potter. It is a picture book explores Temple Grandin’s first innovation, a personalized hug mach.

Mary Temple Grandin is an American scientist and activist. She is a prominent proponent for the humane treatment of livestock for slaughter and author of more than sixty scientific papers on animal behavior. She is a consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior, and an autism spokesperson. She is one of the first individuals on the autism spectrum to document the insights she gained from her personal experience of autism.

Guglielmo and Tourville's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. It gently presents the story behind Grandin's "squeeze machine," describing Grandin's childhood love of building and design, as well as her sensitivities. Backmatter elaborates on Grandin's life, career, and contributions to autism awareness. Potter's warm illustrations feature human and animal figures that are reminiscent of folk art dolls while showing Grandin's discomfort with outside stimulation.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It describes how Grandin was really sensitive to touches from itchy woolen socks to hugs. She discovered that external pressure placed on her body made her feel secure. As an adult, Grandin observed how cows are placed in squeeze chutes to calm them during veterinary exams, which led Grandin to design her own hug machine.

All in all, How to Build a Hug: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine is a lovely biography of someone on the autistic spectrum in Temple Grandin.
Profile Image for Laura Mossa.
175 reviews12 followers
July 23, 2018
Special thanks to the authors and Kara Ledbetter of Simon & Schuster for sending a F & G of How to Build a Hug to my #bookexcursion group. 

Although I am familiar with Temple Grandin, I never new about her first invention, the hug machine.  How to Build a Hug is a narrative picture book biography that introduces Temple as a young child who like other kids, loved to build things but does not like hugs.  Temple wondered why hugs calmed others when they made her uncomfortable.  At boarding school, she continues to build and watches families hugging hellos and goodbyes still wondering will she ever feel comfortable with a hug?  It was until she spent the summer at her aunt's ranch in Arizona that Temple's idea took form.  Observing how a ranch hand used a squeeze chute to keep a cow calm during a vet exam, Temple planned and built her own hug machine.  She used her hug machine to calm her when she felt nervous or scared.

How to Build a Hug is a beautifully written and illustrated picture book that can be a mirror or window to readers.  Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville do a wonderful job conveying Temple's feelings and emotions so that children can understand her dilemma with hugs, and Giselle Potter's warm, vintage-like watercolor illustrations complement the text well. While the text does not specifically mention that Temple as autistic, the author's note does and provides more information about Temple Grandin's life.  I am always looking for nonfiction picture books for #classroombookaday and there is no doubt that How to Build a Hug will be read to students in the upcoming school year. It releases on August 28, 2018.

Profile Image for Rachel.
98 reviews2 followers
October 22, 2018
I very, very much liked this book in many ways, but I found myself a bit confused by the end and could see children being confused as well.

Let's just start by saying Temple Grandin is a wonderful human being, and this picture book about her and her hug machine is so close to being wonderful as well. My favorite part was the descriptions of Grandin's adversity to certain sounds, certain textures, etc. Nowhere in the picture book text is the word 'autism', which I could see being a double-edged sword. It may be great that the stigma or stereotypes of autism isn't present, but if it had been there, children may have learned a little more about what people with autism can feel like (thereby building empathy), or recognize ways that people with autism defy stereotypes. Just a thought.

Onto the actual story - Grandin is very uncomfortable with hugs, even though she knows they provide comfort for others. I found the text a little weird when it said, "Would she ever get a hug?". I know what they meant, but it is a little confusing, because she was actually given hugs before, but just didn't like them.

At the end, she builds her hug machine. Which she uses a lot. And then ends up liking hugs from people. It was just a hard jump without much explanation, which they do give more at the end. The author notes say that Grandin liked her hug machine because she was able to control the timing and pressure. That information, I think, would have been great to add into the book. So, the story got a bit mussed at the end, but overall this book is a great recognition of Temple Grandin's experiences and one of her (many, many, many) contributions to the planet earth!
Profile Image for Barbara.
14.7k reviews312 followers
December 13, 2018
This picture book does an excellent job of making the experiences of Temple Grandin, known for her advocacy for the humane treatment of animals and for speaking out about autism, quite accessible to young readers. The authors describe the different reactions the young Temple had to hugs and what seemed to her to be sensory overload even though she might have yearned to be held. Focusing on her many abilities as an inventor and builder and her observations of how others behaved, the book makes sure to highlight Temple's strengths as well as the aspects of her that made her different from others. It's clear that her mother was supportive of her throughout her lifetime and that her invention of a machine whose pressure she could control made all the difference in the world. An Authors' Note provides additional information about Temple, and there's even a photograph of her surrounded by cows, the very animals that gave her the idea for her machine. The lively watercolor illustrations do an excellent job of portraying Temple and her reactions to noises and those who just wanted to give her a hug, a simple action but one that left her with conflicting emotions. It's encouraging that a picture book now exists that shares her story with a young audience, perhaps dispelling some of the stigmas associated with autism.
Profile Image for Deborah.
Author 14 books208 followers
Read
October 18, 2018
Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville demonstrated their talent with nonfiction in their debut book, Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire. Their latest, How to Build a Hug: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine, is just as well written, with extra layers of emotion that left me teary. Through the story of how she came to invent the hug machine, the authors convey how, even though Temple Grandin was unable to connect in “typical” ways, she yearned for closeness. With words perfectly matched by Giselle Potter’s illustrations, this book is engaging, informative, and profoundly moving.
157 reviews1 follower
January 5, 2019
Mom was really excited to find this on the shelf at the library to read to my older sister and me. Our brother has autism and she loves finding books to help us understand autism and how every person that is on the spectrum is so different. Like the fact that our brother loves hugs and Temple couldn't stand to be hugged.


MOM NOTES:

This is also a great first look into the life of Temple Grandin. There is so much more to learn about, and from Temple...this is a great way to get a child ready to do a report even if they are older.
We have done that with Jess Keating's book Shark Lady before our other daughter did a report on Eugenie Clark...as well as The story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles, before moving into other research about Ruby.
I think picture book biographies are so important to start an interest and develop a connection to these amazing people who we have so much to learn from.
Profile Image for Nancy.
Author 31 books86 followers
November 10, 2018
Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville teamed up for their first nonfiction picture book, Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire, and have now come out swinging again with their latest, How to Build a Hug: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine.

Both books are wonderful picture book biographies that belong on #classroombookaday bookshelves everywhere.

This latest is well written, with extra layers of emotion that leave readers touched.

The authors deftly convey how Temple Grandin yearned for closeness. Giselle Potter’s illustrations bring the book to life. The result is a book that is engaging, informative, and thoughtful.
35 reviews
April 28, 2019
Genre: Challenges/Issues
Awards: None
Audience: K - 3rd grade
A. Temple Grandin is a young, autistic girl who hates hugs. Eventually, she finds hugs that hugs can be nice!
B. I would explain that autism should be talked about even with children. This will help students to better understand something that they will see later in life.
C. For me this was a window book; I could see into the life of a child with autism. For a child who is autistic or who has a close friend or family member who was autistic, this would be a mirror book.
Profile Image for Sarah.
543 reviews6 followers
November 11, 2018
This picture book biography of Temple Grandin would be great for a school storytime for all ages. I think that it would also be a great book for children who have autism or have been diagnosed on the spectrum. It doesn't cover new territory in the life of Temple Grandin, but is shares her story in a simple fashion with compassion and understanding.
Profile Image for Kelly.
8,812 reviews18 followers
October 4, 2018
Very, very enjoyable story. It's apparent from the beginning that Temple Grandin has some sensory issues, but the story continues to build and unfold. And I love that this is a story that will reach that specific sector of children who share the difficulties that Temple experienced.
Profile Image for Terri.
47 reviews4 followers
October 5, 2018
Thoughtful story of the life of young Temple Grandin. Compassionately tells the story of Temple's early years from her perspective and can be used as a conversation starter for children to help bridge understanding about autism.
Profile Image for Susie.
1,885 reviews22 followers
December 23, 2018
Well-written story about Temple Grandin. I appreciated the background the authors gave for the things that would bother Grandin, and the backmatter is good. I felt like the illustrations were a bit too primitive.
Profile Image for Chris.
25 reviews12 followers
August 13, 2018
A wonderful picture book to introduce Temple Grandin and her great mind.
Profile Image for Angela Ferrari.
Author 14 books5 followers
September 25, 2018
I LOVE Temple Grandin! I am so excited to see a picture book that demonstrates her vision so beautifully. This book feels like a squeeze from a "Hug Machine."
Profile Image for Syntha Green.
3,170 reviews32 followers
October 4, 2018
So many excellent picture book biographies these days, of which this is one.
Profile Image for Heather.
387 reviews4 followers
October 24, 2018
I love this encouraging and warm telling of Temple Grandin's young life.
Profile Image for Lisa.
Author 89 books112 followers
November 6, 2018
Grandin is one of my heroes and I think this picture book version about her need for a hug machine does her justice.
Profile Image for Lynn  Davidson.
8,059 reviews34 followers
November 26, 2018
Temple Grandin is a professor of animal science now, but as a child she struggled because of autism. This is the story of how she built things, even a hug machine! Wonderful true story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews

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