Hic-Hic-Hiccups!

MY THOUGHTS

I feel like over the years I have read so many books on Hiccups and how to cure them, and each one is cuter than the last! Hic-Hic-Hiccups! by Esha Gupta scores high on the absolutely adorable factor and is such a fun book to read aloud to kids, too!

In this book, Bittoo is playing with a friend and comes down with a bad case of the hiccups. He stops playing, and his friend, Sonu, helps him cure the hiccups. Bittoo tries drinking water, holding his breath, and sticking out his tongue, but nothing seems to work! That’s when Sonu tells Bittoo that sometimes hiccups occur when someone is missing you, and can be cured only when you find that person. Bittoo is desperate! He needs to find out who is missing him fast!

I absolutely love the way Esha Gupta ends this book! It is a nice little surprise and will make young readers fall in love with the book. I also enjoyed how she showed a mom enjoying her leisure time by solving the day’s puzzle, and the dad helping out with household chores. We are drawn into the action as Bittoo goes from one room to another, from one family member to the next, trying to find out who is missing him so he can cure his hiccups.

Renowned illustrator Charbak Dipta’s illustrations make you feel Bittoo’s pain and his desperation to get rid of the horrible hiccups! Sonu’s concerned expressions and his efforts to help his friend are endearing, and you want Sonu to succeed. My favourite spread is the one with the mother at the dining table, solving a Sudoku puzzle at the dining table. You get a sneak peek into the family’s home. The upholstery, table linen, art on the walls, and even the crockery are so detailed and lovely to look at. These tiny details throughout the book allow the reader to imagine and approximate Bittoo’s family demographics.

This is a wonderful book to read out loud to young children or perfect for giggles during a bedtime read, too! Pick up this book, not just for the story, but also for the illustrations.