waiting with waffles

Waffles is a dog who loves hugs. Julius is a cat who does not love hugs but loves naps. They are friends, but they don’t always want the same things.

Waffles asks for a hug, but Julius says no. Waffles asks again. Julius still says no. Waffles decides to chase Julius around, and then he asks for a hug. Julius still says no. Waffles remembers that he is good at waiting, so he decides to wait for his hug.

After a while, Waffles gets tired and decides to take a nap. Julies loves naps. He sees Waffles and decides he wants to take a nap next to him. That’s not a hug, right?

Waffles and Julius: No Hugs Please! is an adorable audiobook full of whimsy and warmth. Narrator Joshua Quinn brings a lot of fun to his reading, adding personality to both Waffles and Julius. But there are also a lot of sound effects that add motion, upbeat energy, cat screeches and dog barks, and cartoon-like laughs to the story. Listening to this book on audio means missing out on the colorful illustrations, but the narration and audio effects make up for that.

I was captivated listening to this audiobook. The story is so charming, and the audio production adds playfulness and invention to Ed Vere’s picture book. I especially liked how Waffles asks for hugs and respects Julius’s answer, even when it wasn’t the answer he wanted. I thought that was a good lesson, and this book teaches it with gentleness an intelligence. This audiobook is a fun way to listen to this story, if you have a copy of the book to follow along, or even just by itself. I loved it all on its own.

A copy of the audiobook for Waffles and Julius: No Hugs Please! were provided by Macmillan Audio through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.