Oren Lavie is an award-winning author, musician, and director. His children's books have been translated into over a dozen languages, and in 2023, Truman Toad and the Perfect Hug, his third book, was nominated for the prestigious German Youth Literature Award. He has also been nominated for a Grammy Award, and one of his songs was featured in the Disney movie The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Oren's debut picture book, The Bear Who Wasn't There, was published to great acclaim in Germany and was released in the US through Akashic Book's Black Sheep imprint. O, The Oprah Magazine called the book "irresistible" and "playfully existential," and a starred review in Publishers Weekly praised "the charm of Lavie's storytelling voice." Oren lives in Tel Aviv, Israel. Anke Kuhl is one of Germany's leading children's book illustrators, whose awards include the German Youth Literature Award and the Max and Moritz Prize for best German-language comic for children. She lives with her husband and two children in Frankfurt, Germany.

"I have decided that for the rest of my life, all I want to do is upload Truman Toad photos onto my blog. I want to make it my life's work. I want to wallpaper my world in all things Truman Toad... I just love everything about this book SO much!"--Betsy Bird "A Fuse #8 Production (A School Library Journal blog)"

STARRED REVIEW! ★ "A self-obsessed protagonist makes narcissism absolutely ribbiting in this gaily cantankerous picture book... In elegant line work, saturated washes, and marvelously emotive characters that feel like a cross between the work of Arnold Lobel and James Stevenson, Kuhl follows Truman through a parade of discarded snuggles with a menagerie of acquaintances--each hug a comic gem of interspecies awkwardness... For anyone seeking their own perfect something, this irresistibly funny title hints, the answer may lie in embracing imperfection."

-- "Publishers Weekly"

"This story's tongue-in-cheek storytelling, greatly enhanced by its gorgeous and goofy artwork, reminded me of... Steig and his particular blend of slyness and silliness... A sweet, reflective lesson on letting go of perfection and learning to live in the moment, celebrating the gifts life brings. Recommended for kids ages 4-8 and their adults who enjoy quirky, intricate, and slightly wordy picture books."

-- "Youth Services Book Review"

STARRED REVIEW! ★ "Kuhl's visuals are an engrossing mix of William Steig's and Arnold Lobel's illustrations, with hijinks and hilarity apparent in the ridiculous assortment of different animals: a squirrel and a butterfly eagerly embracing; a snail and a mouse tentatively eyeing each other. Lavie's prose is perfect in pitch, tone, and phrasing, as when an overexcited Truman sets off 'with the special grace of a toad.' A warm embrace of both story and image, this lesson in appreciating what you have delights in every way."

-- "Kirkus Reviews"

Publisher: Enchanted Lion

Pub date: 2026-04-07

Length: 40 pages