Dude. Be Nice - Sarah Lynn Scheerger

Inspired by the real-life Dude. Be Nice Project, a video series with more than 80 million views, the book DUDE. BE NICE, blends laugh-out-loud moments with important social-emotional lessons for kids (and a few reminders for grown-ups, too). It’s a hilarious and heartfelt picture book about what it really means to be kind—even when your good intentions go awry.

Dude is a well-meaning, egocentric, and overly enthusiastic Bear on a mission to be the nicest dude ever, regardless of what anyone else wants and even if his help isn’t always helpful, till he learns through a series of mishaps to consider the perspectives of others. With the support of his wise sidekick Fizz, Dude learns that real kindness isn’t about doing everything—it’s about listening, asking, and teaming up. When Dude unravels a sweater, frees some dogs, and ruins an ice cream social, he must reckon with the ramifications of his own niceness. Can Dude and his best friend Fizz save the day before Dude makes too big of a mess?

The Austin-based philanthropic organization dude. be nice (DBN) took the world by storm in 2014 through its promotion of positivity and kindness. DBN seeks to “build more positive communities, one video at a time” by celebrating everyday unsung heroes on their YouTube Channel. The DBN campaign is rooted in years of real-life school assemblies and student-led kindness projects.