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This post is in partnership with The Children’s Book Review and Sarah Scheerger. All opinions are my own.
Book Information
Dude. Be Nice
Written by Sarah Scheerger with Brent and Jamie Camalich Illustrated by Alex MacNaughton Ages: 3-7 | 32 Pages Publisher: Flamingo Books (2025) | ISBN: 978-0593350607 Publisher’s Book Summary: Meet Dude, the nicest Dude in town! Or so he thinks . . . One day, Dude decides that he wants to do nice things for his friends and neighbors all day long. But Dude isn’t exactly attentive and tends to forget the most crucial part of helping people: asking first. So when Dude unravels a sweater, frees some dogs, and ruins an ice cream social, he needs to reckon with his own niceness: is it really nice if he wasn’t that helpful? Can Dude and his best friend Fizz save the day before Dude makes too big of a mess? With hilarious text from Sarah Scheerger and gorgeous illustrations by debut children’s book artist Alex MacNaughton, Dude. Be Nice is a tale of good intentions and not-so-good outcomes, sure to make readers giggle along the way. Author Interview
Where did you get the inspiration for Dude. Be Nice?
This book was inspired by the real-life Dude. Be Nice Project, a video series with more than 80 million views. I just happened upon their website. I was prepping for a presentation at a school where I provide counseling services and looking for an engaging video to spark discussion. I found a DBN video, within which a school honors and celebrates their special custodian. I love to hear about good things people are putting out in their communities, and I feel that so much of our media consumption focuses on negative or traumatic things happening in the world. Yet around us, every day we have heroes who are doing the right thing. I think it's important for people and even more so for children to know and feel the love and good qualities that are around them every day. Not only was I inspired by their content, but this image of a Dude character came into my head. The idea lived there for several years until I wound up interacting directly with the owners of the company and mentioned “have you ever thought of writing a picture book with Dude as a main character?” They had, in fact, thought of that, and we decided a partnership could work out. I was excited to write a story that would amplify this company. I would love to help them extend their reach. We need more videos from dude. be nice. We need more people out in the world recognizing unsung heroes. What was your writing process like for this book? This writing process was unique because I feel like I created the “character” initially, not the story itself. I knew I wanted a character named Dude. I knew he should be “nice,” but I wasn’t sure if Dude was a story for very young children (similar to Pete the Cat) or if Dude would be for slightly older children (similar to Dragons Love Tacos). I wasn’t sure if Dude was funny or just sweet. I tried multiple different versions. My editor was interested in this project early on. I think she also loved the character Dude but was searching for the right expression of his voice and story line. I went from sweet and rhyming (early version), to breaking the fourth wall (mid process version), to the current deadpan humor version. I confess I did struggle a bit to figure out the best path forward, but I’m grateful for the struggle because I love the final version best. What is your favorite part about writing books for kids? I love the quiet space of creating. My favorite part of the process is when I have a solid first draft, and I am finessing it. It’s also very exciting when I get the first burst of idea and I can’t wait to write it down. I also love talking to kids about books and getting them excited about reading and about creating. What are you working on now? I’m always dabbling with different ideas. I’m never sure if what I’m working on will become a published book. I just follow whichever storylines spark my interest and sound the most fun to spend time with. Right now, I’m playing with a middle grade novel. It’s still in the early stages, so we’ll see. I’ve also been doing quite a bit of work to create an extensive SEL curriculum to pair with my book Dude. Be Nice. My goal is for teachers to be able to read this book and step easily into an activity and classroom discussion that aligns with the storyline. What is your favorite book? That’s a very hard question. I’ll focus on books I’ve read in the last ten to fifteen years. I am a huge fan of the book Wonder. I love the way teachers read it in classrooms and use it to foster meaningful classroom discussions. I just read two amazing books with my daughter--The War that Saved My Life and Out of My Mind. If you’re asking me to pick some of my own favorite books (that I wrote myself) I’d say Operation Frog Effect and Dude. Be Nice. Giveaway
Enter for the chance to win one of ten hardcover copies of Dude. Be Nice! One grand prize winner will receive the ultimate kindness bundle: a complimentary virtual author visit with Sarah Scheerger (available anywhere) and an autographed copy of Dude. Be Nice, a Dude. Be Nice apparel item (your choice of shirt, sweatshirt, or hat), and one additional book by Sarah Scheerger to add to your collection!
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