Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, and New York Times Bestselling author of 21 books, including The Crossover, which received the 2015 John Newbery Medal for the Most Distinguished Contribution to American literature for Children, the Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor, The NCTE Charlotte Huck Honor, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, and the Passaic Poetry Prize. Kwame writes for children of all ages. His other works include Surf's Up, a picture book; Booked, a middle grade novel; and He Said She Said, a YA novel.
Kwame believes that poetry can change the world, and he uses it to inspire and empower young people through his PAGE TO STAGE Writing and Publishing Program released by Scholastic. A regular speaker at colleges and conferences in the U.S., he also travels the world planting seeds of literary love (Singapore, Brazil, Italy, France, Shanghai, etc.). Recently, Alexander led a delegation of 20 writers and activists to Ghana, where they delivered books, built a library, and provided literacy professional development to 300 teachers, as a part of LEAP for Ghana, an International literacy program he co-founded.
Great book. This is a book for book lovers. Have you have been trying to finish a book and a friend comes over wanting to do something. You tell them you have to finish your book and they tell you reading is boring. This is that story. The end, the guy wants to read the book
It's is simple and fun and the illustrations are totally tubular. A quick read.
The kids had fun with this story. We had a round of bro and dude calling that got us all giggling.
Long ago, I dealt with a sweet, misguided parent who wanted an abridged version of Moby-Dick; or, The Whale for her two year old. We settled for some nice picture books about whales. And don't get me started on those asshat "BabyLit" board books, except perhaps to say that there are a lot of parents out there currently who are silly enough to buy such stuff. They would be better off buying some nice parenting books to teach them how to say "no" to their little darlings. But see? You got me started...
Well, I wish that this book had been around then. Not that her two year old would have gotten this one either, but at least it would have been on the right track. As Bro Frog reads, yes, "Moby Dick," Dude Frog tries to drag him surfing, but instead gets involved in the story. Bold, action packed pictures will hold the attention of that two year old, even if he/she doesn't get the point of the humor, and Mom and Dad can tell themselves that they are introducing the classics to their little (not) geniuses. Oh, and older preschoolers and such will really enjoy this, even if they don't get the allusions either. All in all, a winner.
Dude comes to the window to let Bro know “Surf’s up!” But Bro is busy reading his book. Dude is shocked that Bro would prefer reading to heading to the beach. Bro comes along, still reading his book as they walk along. As they walk, he tells Dude about Moby Dick’s story and then reacts with gasps and amazement as the story continues. Bro finishes the book as they reach the beach and suddenly it is Dude who wants to read more than he wants to surf.
Told in a merry back and forth between the two frogs, this picture book is entirely in dialogue. The dialogue is wonderfully effortless, reading just like any two real people shooting the breeze, lightly teasing one another, and then enjoying the drama of a tale well told. There is a breeziness and hipness to the book as well that will appeal to modern children looking for a cool read.
Miyares’ illustrations are double-spread and cover the entire page. The world he creates wraps around the reader, much the way the story of Moby Dick encompasses both of the frogs. The drama of the story is told in a deep blue and gray palette while the frogs’ world is lighter. When both frogs are caught up in the whale tale together, that story entirely takes over the page and the frogs become characters in the book.
A dynamite and fresh book to show that everyone can get into a good book, even when the surf’s up. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
I loved the concept of this book, (a frog is so into his book that he has to finish it, and gets his friend interested, too.). This story line could have been clearer. The illustrations were bright and colorful and very much mirrored water and motion. The story appears to pull from Moby Dick-which is one of the driest, least exciting and technical books I've ever read. It did not represent the story line well.
I found this to be very energetic and fun. One friend is trying to finish up a book and the other is eager to get to the beach. It's a book that celebrates the joy and excitement of reading.
A fun book about the joy of getting lost in a book, told in an unexpected way through two grog friends. Love the joy and fun in Daniel Miyares' illustrations!
A solemn promise has to be made first. When shopping with certain friends this is a requirement. A pledge has to be taken to not stop in any book shops. When you've been known to spend hours wandering around the shelves, especially in the children's and young adult areas, people tend to err on the side of caution.
In a conversation this past week I even remarked given a choice I would rather be reading. Surf's Up (North South Books, Inc., February 1, 2016) a brand new book by Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander (The Crossover) with illustrations by Daniel Miyares (Float) is about more than a day of fun in the sun. It's about sharing the jubilation found in reading.
Two frogs on their way to surf at the beach are having a discussion about the merits of reading. One of the frogs is engrossed in Moby Dick and can't put it down until he finishes the book. His enthusiastic responses to the action in the story intrigue his friend, who must find out the ending of the story, which can only be accomplished by reading the book for himself. What I really like about this book about reading are the illustrations. Surfer dude accent is a must for sharing this book with kids. I will be suggesting this title for read for the CLEL Bell Picture Book awards http://www.clel.org/#!clelbellawards/....
Dude and Bro are headed to the beach, but Bro continues to settle in to read his book. He can't pull himself away from Moby Dick. Dude thinks books are boring, and cannot understand the delay. It's a celebration of reading and the illustrations show some of the excitement of Moby Dick while the spare text keeps the argument going. You'll like how it all turns out, and they do get to the beach, too!
SURF'S UP is told completely in fun, modern dialogue between "Dude" and "Bro"--two frog friends whose plans to go to the beach are interrupted when Bro can't put down his book. Kwame Alexander's spare text captures the excitement of reading a great book and is paired perfectly with Daniel Miyares' colorful illustrations. The story and art are a lot of fun, and will appeal to children who often find themselves lost in the adventure of reading.
Cute illustrations but this book is kind of just ok. Bro and Dude are two frogs who enjoy different activities. Bro loves to read and Dude loves to visit the beach and surf. There is a fantasy scene that is fun but otherwise the book is not too exciting. I would skip this one. Reading level is K-2.
Two surfing frogs will head to the beach...as soon as one finishes his book! The book-loving frog shows his friend that books are not boring, they are full of adventure. Although frogs are two different colors, will kids keep track of the character changes (non-reader to reader) toward the end?
This would make for a great summer read. Two friends have two very different ideas of how to spend a day. One wants to surf while the other wants to keep reading his book. Great for parents, educators and librarians to showcase how amazing of an adventure reading can be!
A great back to school read that highlights the power of book talks & losing yourself in a good book! Dude, every student needs to read this delightful story!
I would like to thank North South Books Inc. for an arc of this book in exchange for an open and honest review.
Two of my kids (the ten year old and the six year old) helped me review ‘Sur’s Up’ and so the majority of comments and score are based on their feedback.
Firstly, we all loved this book. My kids are just a bit weird about giving a top score as they feel it will stop the author from writing (I don’t know why). And I’m pretty sure that’s the only reason this book didn’t get the full 5 out of 5 stars, as they really did enjoy it.
From the ten year olds point of view (and I will add picture books aren’t usually her scene – she has the reading age of a sixteen year old) she loved it. She loved the bright colours, the fun names and the fact that a book was seen as important as a fun day down at the beach. Loved the surf talk ‘bro, dude, cowabunga’ and so on. She also enjoyed the little extras like the whale on the wave at the end.
It has also made my eldest interested in reading ‘Moby Dick’. I have advised it does not contain frogs (that I can remember) and may still be a little too heavy for her tastes. But if she wants to have a go – why not!
My six year old (who I had in mind when requesting the book) also enjoyed it. His quote was: “It is good and very funny, put that down in the review”. And so I have. He liked the frogs, the scooter ride, how one wanted an adventure on the beach and one was having an adventure in the book. He also loved the pictures, the colours and the surfer dude language.
All in all a big hit with my family.
Would I recommend this book to others? Yes I would. People with young children (and no so young children) will find this a great family read to enjoy together.
Would I buy this book for myself? I wouldn’t buy it for me personally, but I can see myself buying it for my son or as a present for a child of a similar age. It’s a fun little read for parents and kids a like.
In summary: Loved this book. Although it fits the ‘short sharp and shiny’ word content that makes up a good children’s book, it also has some great pictures, vibrant colours and fun words for the whole family to wrap their tongues around. I can see ‘bro’ and ‘dude’ becoming common phrases here now. A perfect read to not only encourage your children that reading is fun (and an adventure in itself) but a great book for here in Australia with summer just around the corner and everyone champing at the bit to get to the beach.
Dude is ready to hit the waves, but Bro isn’t jumping in just yet because he’s immersed in a book. This doesn’t set well with Dude who defiantly states “Books are boring.” Bro is unfazed. Throughout SURF’S UP, Bro is an amphibious (and much cooler) Levar Burton teaching Dude that reading is anything but boring without even trying.
Kwame Alexander’s continues to solidify his reputation as a master storyteller in this book. The book is all dialogue between Bro and Dude with no need for a narrator’s uncool expository prose. Because look, there are waves to catch, man. The simple dialogue follows a story within a story as the scenes from Bro’s book are vividly displayed through the illustrations of Daniel Miyares.
What is most impressive about the way that Alexander handles the bookception is that he does not follow the usual book within a book formula where a character starts reading, the story transforms, then the narrator returns to the real world at the end of the story’s completion to conclude the book. Instead, Alexander and Miyares weave the real world story and the imaginary action from the book together simultaneously on each page. Neither distracts from the other.
The tale not only is entertaining, but it also makes it clear that reading is cool and fun, even for the chillest of frogs (or people). The story is fun. The illustration is fun. This is the type of book that children will want to read again and will notice something new every time. Alexander already won a Newbery Award for his masterful children’s writing, and SURF’S UP is a wonderful example of great storytelling that children’s authors should strive to emulate.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received a complimentary advanced electronic copy of SURF’S UP from the publisher for reviewing purposes. Surf’s up, bro.
SUMMARY: The surf is up! Dude the frog goes to Bro the frog's house to get him to come surfing. But Bro is very involved with reading a book (Moby Dick). Dude can't believe Bro would rather read a book than go surfing. That is until Bro begins telling some of the exciting parts of the book. In the end, Bro makes Dude a believer that a good book is something worth taking time out for.
ILLUSTRATIONS: The illustrations are creative and fun. On some pages the illustrations are muddy making it more difficult to follow what is happening--especially the imagination sequences. I don't understand why this is done when some of the pages have very clear and nice illustrations (such as on the cover).
THE GOOD: First off, being a valley girl myself, I love that the frogs are named Dude and Bro. These are perfect surfer names. I love how Bro draws Dude to the book with his own excitement and how the book shows that sometimes a book is better than surfing. THE NOT AS GOOD: I did not feel that Moby Dick was a very good book to use as the example here of an enticing book since Surf's Up is meant for the younger crowd. And the combination of muddy illustrations for the "book" scenes with very little vocabulary can leave a child very confused if the adult is not filling in the holes to the story. This book is an awesome concept, but the execution was somewhat weak.
AGE RECOMMENDATION: Advertised for ages 4-8. Ages 5-8 would be a better range.
NOTE: I received a free ARC copy of this book from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. My reviews are always 100% honest based on preset criteria.
The imagination that went into creating this wonderful picture book is amazing. Two friends on a summer day have different pursuits in mind. Dude wants to go surfing, but Bro is thoroughly engrossed in a book (Moby Dick to be precise). Dude can't understand the interst in a boring book and Bro can't be torn away from it. As Dude literally carries Bro off to the beach with his nose still buried in the book, he begins to be curious about this whale of a story. Bro keeps calling out "Wowie Kazowie!" and "Whoa, Daddy-o!" as events unfold in the hunt for the white whale. Eventually Dude is pulled into the book despite his initial disinterest. What makes it all the more entertaining is the fact that Bro and Dude are frogs!
The mix of Bro's enthusiastic exclamations and Dude's reluctant interest seem to prove that old adage that opposites attract. And in addition to the insanely funny story-line, there are the illustrations to pull us in as readers. While Bro describes the plot of his book to Dude, those scenes are shown on the page along with the two friends. We can see the scenes gradually grow larger until Bro and Dude are actually on the deck of the whaling ship. After all that, it comes as no surprise to us that Dude decides to read the book himself.
An excellent story to illustrate the power of books to capture our imaginations and the thrill of finding a book and sharing it with a friend. I recommend it to readers of all ages.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
This is a fun story about the magic of summer reading. Bro and Dude have different ideas about what makes summer fun--Dude wants Bro to join him and surf the waves, but Bro is caught up in a good book and wants to finish. Bro's enthusiasm for his book draws Dude into the story, and soon he can't wait to find out what happens either!
The illustrations by Daniel Miyares are the perfect laid back style for a surfer theme. There is a slight abstraction that reminds me somewhat of Chris Raschka's early work. It's fun to see how the story and real life of the two friends start to connect.
One of my favorite parts of this book is the title page. There is a mostly-yellow illustration of a smal town by the water. It is a perfect summer image, but what makes these pages spectacular is the small library card pocket. An old fashioned check-out card is inserted in the pocket and you can see two names and dates -- Aug. 7, 2016 Bro and Aug. 11, 2016 Dude. I love the little clue that Dude was so enthralled with what Bro shares of his book that he had to check it out next!
Recommendations from peers are such a powerful way to build a love of reading, and Kwame Alexander and Daniel Miyares have created the perfect book to spread that message!
I saw the cover on this and just had to get my hands on it (so I got a free copy in exchange for an honest review). This is a picture book for even the youngest of readers and it's oh, so cute!
The title says it all; two amphibians want to go surfing, dude! The problem is that one would rather do something totally uncool - read! *gasp* Now, there aren't many words to this. The pictures carry most of the story as it reflects what the frog is reading through flashes, while the writing is mostly short phrases exchanged between the frog and his friend. At times, I found it a little confusing, and I did have to explain to my daughter what was going on even though she's not the youngest of readers at eight.
Still, my daughter found the exchanges hilarious. She laughed and giggled the entire way through, and at the end, told me how funny this book is. So, taking her reaction into account, I'm giving this four stars. The illustrations are bright and fun. The exchanges completely drew my daughter in and caught her attention. The story around the words wasn't as clear though.
But I recommend it, especially when it makes my child laugh that hard.
This was such a cute book, with a great message. Dude and Bro are two frogs, and while Dude wants to go surfing, Bro is engrossed in his book - so uncool! But naturally, as they travel down to the beach, Bro reads out snippets and gets Dude totally immersed in the story too - until it ends and Bro won't tell him what happened! So - spoiler alert! - Bro goes out surfing, and Dude lays out on the beach reading the book :-)
As a librarian, I loved the message that reading is cool - that you can enjoy both reading and surfing (or whatever!) - and that such adventure awaits in books!
I loved the illustrations in here too that put Bro and Dude into the story Bro was reading to add to the message of reading bringing out your imagination :-) And I liked that all the text for Bro was in orange and Dude was in green - matching their colors in the illustrations so that we could easily tell them apart as well as easily follow the dialogue.
I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This was a delightful and fun read. I would highly recommended this children's book. The fast-paced and fun dialogue coupled with great illustrations are perfect for introducing children to the wonders of a good book. Just open the pages and you're on an adventure with frog friends, Bro and Dude. Bro has to find out what happens in Moby Dick, and Dude's just not into reading on a perfect day for surfing, until Bro's imagination draws Dude into the story. All of the sudden Bro needs to know what happens with this whale. Do they catch it? Who gets the gold? He'll have to read the book find out. I couldn't help but read this book aloud. This fast-paced and fun read would be perfect for any library story time or at home literary adventure.
This story was cute but not my favorite. It is about two little frogs hanging out on the beach. One is interested in catching big waves and being adventurous on their beach trip while the other is using the story of a book to live out his adventure.
I think it is a great way to show that adventure can mean different things to different people and that you should give both sides a try.
There are lots of bright colorful illustrations and you easily get sucked into the story just like the young frog listening to the adventures of the great whale. I think this was fun and I could see it really being a hit read aloud with fun voices and I think a boy audience would really get a kick out of this.
Definitely worth a read.
I received this book from netgalley.com and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book is perfect for book lovers! Anyone who hasn't want to put down a book with enjoy sharing this adorable tale with their children. Two frogs are supposed to go surfing, but one frog cannot put his book down. The story of a man trying to catch a whale is too good to wait. While they make their way to the beach, that frog continues reading, and his comments about the story get the other frog interested in the story. So much so that he ends up reading when they get to the beach.
The drawings were cute. The language was simple. The story was just so great. I read this book alone, but I will definitely need to read it with my son as he's a book lover too. I think he will appreciate the story.
Alexander has created a fun homage to the power of the written word. As a young frog seeks his brother's company at the beach, he gets pulled into the book his brother is reading. His imagination gets the better of him and they crash, but the youngster's enthusiasm can be felt throughout the book and the older brother gives in at the end wanting to know the whole story of Moby Dick. The language of this book makes it a great read-a-loud and an enthusiastic reinforcement of the power of a good book. Miyares illustrations are fun and bright and very appealing. The illustrations pull both the older brother frog and the reader right into the story of the big white whale. A fun story to share with young readers.
This was an adorable book about two frogs, one who wants to surf and another who wants to finish his book. As they travel to the beach Bro (the reading frog) gets so excited about his book and how it is going, so much so in fact, that Dude starts to get interested.
This was such a cute concept, show young readers the thrill of reading through these two different friends. I think that parents and young readers will really like this. It is brightly colored and an easy read. Although I have a feeling that parents might end up hearing a lot of "bro" and "dude" in their household afterwards.
Still a very cute tale and I love a book about reading books.
Bro and Dude are two frogs who have different ideas about how to have a fun day at the beach. Dude wants to surf while Bro wants to read his book (Moby Dick). Dude thinks reading is boring until Bro tells him that the book is about a man trying to find a whale and then Dude wants to know more.
Moby Dick begins to come alive on the pages through skillful illustrations. It's a book with very few words and probably not one that will be begged to be read again and again. I think it's kind of hard to explain Moby Dick to the preschool set. I did like that the book reinforces the message that "reading can be fun."
Frogs, Bro and Dude travel to the beach to surf. Bro is so obsessed with reading his book "Moby Dick" that he continues to read even as they reach the beach. Dude calls his reading preoccupation Booooring!" until Bro shouts "Wowie Kazowie!" and Dude becomes intrigued. Gloriously illustrated with broad brush stroked vibrant watercolors, focusing on the bulging eyed frogs with Moby and the wild sea in the background, brings the tale to life. The ending is a delightful ode to reading, as the frogs switch positions, Dude reads and Bro surfs. "Comabunga!" a perfect way to promote the power of reading.