A gentle tale from the beloved creator of The Box Turtle about a narwhal whose horn keeps getting in the way during his first week of school, until his new friends help him find just the right accommodations
Hugo has a problem. A big, tall problem. One that refuses to go away, no matter how many hats (or donuts) he puts on his head to try and hide it. His horn is a barrier to the bus and a calamity in the classroom, and nothing Hugo tries seems make it better.
But with the help of his friends and a rousing, inclusive baseball game, Hugo learns that everyone needs something a little different to succeed and that working together is no trouble at all.
"A laugh-out-loud, fish-out-of-water, first-day-of-school read."—Kirkus
“Friendly multimedia vignettes…emphasiz[e] themes of community support.” —Publishers Weekly
“Hugo learns everyone has their unique abilities and differences, and that working together makes everything better. A fun story about fitting in while also embracing our differences.” —Kidsbookshelf.com
Featured in: Imagination Soup: 10 New Back-to-School Books for 2025 Publishers Weekly: Back-to-School Books for Fall 2025 Sheaf and Ink: Back to School Children's Book Recommendations
Vanessa Roeder is an author and illustrator whose work has been featured in Highlights magazine and on Apartment Therapy. She lives with her family in Austin, Texas.
View titles by Vanessa Roeder
A gentle tale from the beloved creator of The Box Turtle about a narwhal whose horn keeps getting in the way during his first week of school, until his new friends help him find just the right accommodations
Hugo has a problem. A big, tall problem. One that refuses to go away, no matter how many hats (or donuts) he puts on his head to try and hide it. His horn is a barrier to the bus and a calamity in the classroom, and nothing Hugo tries seems make it better.
But with the help of his friends and a rousing, inclusive baseball game, Hugo learns that everyone needs something a little different to succeed and that working together is no trouble at all.
Praise
"A laugh-out-loud, fish-out-of-water, first-day-of-school read."—Kirkus
“Friendly multimedia vignettes…emphasiz[e] themes of community support.” —Publishers Weekly
“Hugo learns everyone has their unique abilities and differences, and that working together makes everything better. A fun story about fitting in while also embracing our differences.” —Kidsbookshelf.com
Featured in: Imagination Soup: 10 New Back-to-School Books for 2025 Publishers Weekly: Back-to-School Books for Fall 2025 Sheaf and Ink: Back to School Children's Book Recommendations
Author
Vanessa Roeder is an author and illustrator whose work has been featured in Highlights magazine and on Apartment Therapy. She lives with her family in Austin, Texas.
View titles by Vanessa Roeder
