When bathtime is over, the whole family pitches in to help catch “Nudie Rudy,” who hides to delay having to get dressed.
Rudy is an adorable one-toothed toddler who just loves to be naked. As he dashes through each room of the house, more and more family members good-naturedly join in the chase to corral him and put his clothes on. They run fast, but Rudy somehow manages to evade them with his gymnastic feats, ability to find great hiding spots and his shouted mantra, “Nudie Rudy!” By the end, Mom and Dad, brother and sister and grandma and grandpa have all joined in the chase. But by then, another burst of independence has transformed the tot from Nudie Rudy to Cutie Rudy, and the family gathers round to shower him with love. With yellows, blues and oranges predominating, the colors and style of Nash’s digital illustrations lend them a retro ’70s feel. Clever placement of props and body parts allow Nudie Rudy some semblance of privacy, although there are glimpses of his bare bottom: Be prepared for uproarious giggles.
Hysterical fun to share with the older siblings of all the Nudie Rudys out there, and for those Nudie Rudys as they outgrow this stage…but parents beware the power of suggestion and urge to imitate. (Picture book. 4-8)
