Gilbert, the Surfer Dude

Written and illustrated by Diane deGroat
HarperCollins 2009
ISBN 978-0-06-125211-2
Ages 4 - 8

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Gilbert and his family are going to the beach, and everyone's very excited. It seems like this is going to be a perfect day... until Lola is afraid of the water and Gilbert forgets his bathing suit! At the store, Gilbert finds a big bathing suit that says Surfer Dude on it. Gilbert looks cool, but he soon discovers that being a surfer dude is harder than it looks. Lola gets her feet wet, but will Gilbert sink or swim in this fun-filled day at the beach? Join Gilbert, the beloved opossum in his first I Can Read book.

From Booklist: This I Can Read Book in the Gilbert and Friends series does its job. It's short, amusing, and will keep kids reading. Gilbert and family are on their way to the beach when Gilbert remembers that he forgot something - his bathing suit. He insists on wearing his new trunks that say Surfer Dude, even though they're too big. Surfing and oversize trunks can only lead to one thing. Adults will see it coming, but new readers probably won't. They'll enjoy looking at the seaside doings in the friendly art while they sharpen their reading skills.