Carrie Finish is an Author, Poet, Educational Content Producer
Carrie writes picture books, poems, and stories for children. Her first picture book, Dozens of Doughnuts, came out in July, 2020, Don’t Hug Doug came out in January, 2021, and she has several more books in the works.
Before becoming an author, Carrie was a producer for an educational software company and also wrote content for educational media products. Her first love was always books – in fact her very first job was shelving books in the town library. She is very happy to be an author.
How did you come up with the idea to write the book "Don't Hug Doug"?
I knew this [hugging] was a common problem – we all know kids who have gone through a no-hugs phase, kids who avoid hugs due to sensory issues, and conversely, kids (and – ahem! – adults) who are overenthusiastic huggers. So, I thought it would be fun and an interesting challenge to write a story about a kid who doesn’t like hugs. There are lots of hug-positive books out there, but not so many about NOT hugging.
What would you like your readers to take from this book?
I hope that what readers will take from the book is that it’s OK to not feel comfortable with hugs, to express that to others, and have those wishes respected – or to respect them, if you are the one offering a hug. Since I wrote the book in the second person, it offers plenty of opportunity for the reader to take on the role of Doug and say out loud that they don’t want a hug, and also to practice asking others whether they do or don’t want a hug. Mostly, I hope it will spark some conversation between the adult and child reader about the topic.
Why is the message of this book important?
Children deserve to have their bodily autonomy honored — by each other and by the adults in their lives. It’s part of the foundation of a healthy relationship. When that’s their experience, and with the addition of direct conversations about the topic, hopefully they’ll grow into adults who honor others in return.
Check out Carrie's incredible books on her website: https://www.carriefinison.com