Dude. Be Nice

Meet Dude, the nicest Dude in town! Or so he thinks . . .

Created in part by the organization dude. be nice, whose mission is to "inspire people to treat themselves and others better" comes a book about a bear named Dude. He decides that he wants to do nice things for his friends and neighbors. All day long. But Dude doesn't exactly know how to read the room 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 a bouncy 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: Sarah Scheerger
Publisher: Flamingo Books
Published: 10/14/2025
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.85lbs
Size: 11.20h x 8.80w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9780593350607
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 09/01/2025
Booklist 09/09/2025

About the Author
Sarah Scheerger is a mental health clinician, providing school-based counseling services for "at-promise" youth, and helping them figure out who they are and who they want to be. She is inspired daily by their strength and wisdom, as well as by people who seek to spread positivity and strengthen community. The dude. be nice. organization caught her attention and served as the inspiration for Dude. Sarah writes picture books, early chapter books, middle grade, and young adult novels. Several of her books have social-emotional learning opportunities, perfect for use in classroom settings. Dude's story provides multiple social-emotional learning launch points that align with Casel's SEL framework. Sarah's middle grade novel, Operation Frog Effect, has been nominated for numerous state award lists. For more info and fun activities, check out her website at www.sarahlynnbooks.com.
Brent Camalich is the owner of dude. be nice whose videos celebrating unsung heroes have generated more than 60 million views. He's a kid at heart. He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife and two children.
Jamie Lynn Camalich has worked in education for nineteen years. She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and two children. This is her first picture book.

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.