A review by naughty_librarian
How to Build a Hug: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine by Jacqueline Tourville, Amy Guglielmo

5.0

If you don’t know what it is, the “hug machine” concept sounds terrifying, like a self-inflicted straight jacket. But when you learn about Temple Grandin’s inventive genius, how autism made the feel of hugs overwhelming, and how she invented her own solution, it starts to make sense. Just as babies often enjoy feeling swaddled, a hug machine allows someone who is neurodivergent to experience the calming sensation, but in a sensory-friendly way. This is a great way to introduce kids to a unique female inventor, creative problem-solving, and how people may experience the world differently.