Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Sarah Scheerger to bring you this post.
Have you ever had a moment where you are trying to help but your "help" is making things worse? Perhaps you are just trying to make things better but the "help" is not wanted? Today we are sharing a book about this situation. It is called Dude. Be Nice by Sarah Scheerger with Brent and Jamie Camalich and illustrated by Alex MacNaughton. There is a giveaway at the end of the post.
About the Book:
Dude. Be Nice Written by Sarah Scheerger with Brent and Jamie Camalich and Illustrated by Alex MacNaughtonAges: 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.
Purchase Links:
About the Authors:
Sarah Scheerger is an author and mental health clinician. She provides school-based counseling services for “at promise” youth and helps them figure out who they are and who they want to be. The Dude. Be Nice organization caught her attention and served as inspiration for Dude. This is her tenth book. Her middle grade novel, Operation Frog Effect, was nominated for multiple state award lists.
For more information and fun activities related to her books, check out her website at
- www.sarahlynnbooks.com
- https://www.instagram.com/sarahscheerger/
- https://www.facebook.com/sarahlynnscheergerbooks/
- https://x.com/sarahscheerger
Brent Camalich is the owner of Dude Be Nice, whose videos celebrating unsung heroes have generated more than 80 million views. He’s a kid at heart. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife and two children.
Jamie Camalich has worked in education for 19 years. She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and two children. This is her first picture book.
For more info and uplifting videos, check out the dude. be nice organization at
- dudebenice.com
- https://www.instagram.com/dude.be.nice
- https://x.com/dudebenice
- https://www.youtube.com/dudebenice
About the Illustrator:
Alex MacNaughton is an illustrator who lives in London with her partner and scruffy pooch. She loves animals, drinking tea, and knitting. This is her first picture book.
From Me:
I love the premise of this book. How often does a child try to help, and it isn't really helpful? Dude wants to be super nice and goes about it by trying to help others all day long. Each time he is nice there is usually a bit of a disaster. He tries to help get some lint off a sweater and the sweater begins to unravel. The day continues like this. His friend Fizz tries to tell him, but Dude doesn't hear him or chooses to ignore him. Throughout the book Dude keeps thinking "That was nice of me." However, he is leaving different disasters everywhere. He finally realizes the mess he has made but still doesn't hear Fizz as Fizz floats away with a handful of balloons that Dude handed him. When he finally hears Fizz, Fizz is a tiny speck in the sky. Dude realizes he has to help. He gathers all the friends who he "helped" and they all volunteer to work together to help Fizz. Dude realizes that being extra nice sometimes means asking for help and that one should ask if someone wants help. Dude and the other friends work together to clean up the mess.
I was telling a colleague I needed to write this review tonight. She asked about the book. When I explained it, her first comment was so Dude is like most of our students. Yup, Dude is like most kids. They are trying to be extra nice by helping and leave a mess behind. Kids need to hear the messages in this book. There are two important ones: ask if someone needs help and ask for help when you need it. Helping makes people feel good. But helping people needs to be done in a way that actually helps! Dude's help and the messes it creates is humorous and will have kids loving the story and seeing what happens next.
I see this book being perfect for parents to read to kids or teachers to read to classes. It is perfect to talk about the best ways to be nice and help others. It is important for them to understand to ask if they can help and it is important for them to know they can always ask for help. Discussions will make this book more powerful. The silliness of the mess Dude makes will have kids wanting to read it again and again.
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! Good luck!
