Punch!: A Story about Kindness

In a world where it's easy to punch back, Badger's friends choose to patch things up. Perfect for kids navigating big emotions!

When Badger bullies his friends Frog, Moose, Elephant, and Bear, they teach him an unforgettable lesson about empathy, kindness, and forgiveness in this funny and thematically rich social and emotional read-aloud from the acclaimed creator of Red: A Crayon's Story.

Badger, Frog, Moose, Elephant, and Bear are best friends. But when Badger experiences a personal loss and his emotions are too big to contain, he goes looking for trouble and takes his sadness out on his friends. He trips Frog, shoves Moose, kicks Elephant, and pokes Bear with a shovel. So Bear gathers the others, and they come up with a plan to teach Badger a lesson. Only that lesson is not what Badger--or readers--expect. In fact, Badger's friends treat Badger with kindness, offering him what he needs the most to sooth his raw emotions--a surprising turn of events that Badger takes to heart when Bear needs a little comfort in return.

Illustrated in Michael Hall's signature cut-paper collages, Punch! sparkles with inventive wordplay, rhythm, repetition, homonyms, and plenty of suspense and action. Rich with social and emotional hooks, this picture book is a terrific choice for story time and family sharing.

Author: Michael Hall
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Published: 04/22/2025
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 11.20h x 9.30w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9780062866219
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2025
School Library Journal 03/01/2025 pg. 70
Booklist 04/01/2025 pg. 101
Publishers Weekly 05/05/2025
Horn Book Magazine 07/01/2025 pg. 70

About the Author
Hall, Michael: -

Michael Hall grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and lives with his family in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is the creator of numerous acclaimed picture books for children, including Frankencrayon, Red: A Crayon's Story, My Heart Is Like a Zoo, Perfect Square, and It's an Orange Aardvark!