My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Dude! You simply can’t go wrong with this dynamic duo. We’re talking about Aaron Reynolds, the author responsible for Jasper Rabbit in Creepy Carrots and Creepy Pair of Underwear. Two books that are a HUGE hit at my K-5 school and are heavily circulated in my library. Then there’s my man Dan. Illustrator extraordinaire whose work has graced the pages of many picture books, including his own award-winning title, The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend (Caldecott, 2015). His art stands out to me in such a profound way. It always captures my immediate attention and pulls me into the story. Such was the case with Dude. From the moment I saw that cover art, the title, the author, I knew I needed to read this book.
This book begins, carries on, and ends with the word Dude! It’s a one-word story about two dudes who throw caution to the wind on a gnarley beach adventure. It includes a shark, bird poo, a misunderstanding among new friends, ice cream, and a surfing contest. I enjoyed every second of it.
The illustrations act as context clues and help the reader understand which way the term Dude is being used throughout the book. There are in fact many scenarios by which one might find themselves saying, Dude. Let’s say your friend just got a new awesome car, you might say: “Dude…that’s an awesome car!” Or how about that same car was involved in a fender-bender, you might say (with a low groan): “Duuuude…what are you going to do about that?” Better yet, you know you put the last piece of cheesecake in the fridge to save for later and then you find out that someone took it upon themselves to eat that piece of cheesecake, you might say: “Dude…how could you?!” One word just expressed three separate sentiments of awe, sympathetic concern, and utter frustration. What a versatile word.
I can’t wait to share this book with my students and see how many different ways I can get them to say, Dude! Before it even hits my library’s shelves, I am predicting it will quickly become a favorite! Honestly, I really like saying Dude so I plan on having BIG time fun with this!
Dude!
Aaron Reynolds
Shout-Outs
Aaron Reynolds | http://www.aaron-reynolds.com/
Dan Santat | http://www.dantat.com/
Roaring Brook Press
An imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group
mackids.com
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