Greetings, Floof!

Written by C. J. Hong

Illustrated by A. J. Smith

Kids Can Press

978-1-5253-0723-2

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

June 2024

A tiny pink fluff ball of an alien called Floof has arrived on our planet and scientific investigator Dr. Greta Goodnote is ready to meet and greet the explorer from Ploof. But it's going to take a little help from readers to really get to know the alien named Floof. 

From Greetings, Floof!, written by C. J. Hong, illustrated by A. J. Smith

First, though, Floof must come out of his spaceship. So, Dr. Greta encourages readers to give him a Ploofian hello by raising their arms and jiggling them. (Lucky we have a scientist to help guide us.) When Floof finally emerges, it's to cuddle a couple of bunnies the reader has pointed out to him. When the rain comes, readers are again enlisted, first to blow about the clouds and then to help a very fluffy Floof to return to his pre-ultra-poofing self. (This requires everything from blowing, and then closing and opening the book, and even shaking it gently.) And when he enjoys his first kiss, Floof is encouraged to pay it forward in his own Ploofian way.

From Greetings, Floof!, written by C. J. Hong, illustrated by A. J. Smith

By making readers part of the story, needing to help greet Floof, to locate animals to cuddle, to blow away rain clouds, to de-poof Floof, and more, C. J. Hong makes Greetings, Floof! an interactive story. While this is generally more difficult with picture books that are read aloud to children, rather than chapter books in which they might make choices of how the story continues, C. J. Hong keeps young readers enthralled, waiting for their next task in helping little Floof out. Not only are they learning empathy and cooperation, but they also see that science is something as basic as building knowledge through observation, experimentation, and application. 

 

American artist A. J. Smith has created an incredibly cute alien in his digital artwork but Floof is still very different. So Ottawa's C. J. Hong's story of the little guy inspires inquiry, coupled with open-mindedness for those who look and speak differently. Because of that, C. J. Hong ticks off all the boxes for a story of science, communication, compassion, and acceptance while demonstrating that kindness can bridge worlds, even planets.

From Greetings, Floof!, written by C. J. Hong, illustrated by A. J. Smith