Dude!

The versatile word dude can act as a question, a warning, or an exclamation of delight, and Reynolds (Creepy Pair of Underwear!) uses it all of these ways and more as the single spoken word of his story. A platypus and a beaver almost jump out of their board shorts when a shark surfaces in the waves behind them. "Duuuuude!" they shriek. But the shark wants to be friends, and it speaks their language: "Dude...?" it ventures. The beaver paddles ashore and returns with an ice-cream cone with sprinkles; the platypus offers the shark a spare surfboard, which is even better. "Dude!" they chorus, catching the same wave. Santat (After the Fall) pours on the special effects, and the shark's massive body, double rows of teeth, and bathing suit (his tail fits through one leg, the other hangs empty) add danger-tinged comedy to every spread. It's a story about welcoming the stranger, but the many dopey laughs and Santat's panoply of goofy facial expressions deliver the message with sprinkles on top. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Paul Rodeen, Rodeen Literary Management. Illustrator's agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House. (Apr.)

PreS-Gr 2-Two friends, a beaver and a platypus, have a big adventure in the sun and the surf. The largely visual story line repeatedly subverts readers expectations with sight gags. For example, the friends are excited to see a pelican in the sky until it poops on platypus' head. With the exception of the word splat for the pelican scene, the entire text of the book is either "dude" or "dudes" with different punctuation throughout. Working in tandem with the expressive illustrations, it is obvious that the single word can mean different things depending on the context. Fear overtakes the friends as they see a shark in the water. When the giant shark tries to approach, they paddle as fast as they can in the opposite direction. But when the shark catches up to them, he is crying and says, "dude...?" Quickly they all end up becoming good friends. VERDICT Score one for visual literacy with this wacky read-aloud adventure sure to make a splash in storytime and small group settings.--Robin Sofge, Prince William Public Library System, VA

Praise for Aaron Reynolds' Nerdy Birdy series:

"Very funny and full of hope—and feathers." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"It's the entertaining birds-of-a-feather friendship dynamic that's the biggest tweet, er, treat for readers." —Horn Book

Praise for Dan Santat's After the Fall

"Luminous." —Horn Book, starred review

"I was so genuinely surprised by the book's conclusion that I won't spoil it. It's always gratifying to see how an artist can turn even the most familiar tale into something new." —New York Times

"The final twist in this totally original next chapter of a Mother Goose's classic offers a stunningly triumphant ending that will take your breath away." —NPR