Cuddly Dudley [Paperback]

Jez Alborough (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 7, 1995 | Age Level: 4 and up

Dudley is a penguin - a very cuddly penguin. He's so cuddly that his brothers and sisters won't leave him alone. Wherever he goes, they follow, demanding a cuddle. Fed-up with all this, Dudley goes looking for a place where he can play on his own. After walking for some time, he comes to a little hut that looks just right and seems to be empty - so Dudley makes himself at home. But the other penguins follow his waddleprints and find him. "Can we come in?" they ask. "No, you jolly well can't," says Dudley. "I'm very busy and I don't want to be disturbed." Alone again, he dives into the bath, tihinking how happy he's going to be on his own. But then the man who owns the hut returns. "What an adorable penguin!" he exclaims, and he too wants a cuddle! Dudley flees out into the snow ...Soon, he's lost and rather lonely. It's getting dark. He climbs a tall hill ...and there at the bottom are his brothers and sisters. Dudley rushes down and they have the best huddling, waddling, cuddling session ever, until ..."Give us a cuddle!" The man appears and all the penguins, led by Dudley, turn and run! Jez Alborough was runner-up for the Mother Goose Award in 1985. For Walker Books he has written and illustrated "Cupboard Bear", "Willoughby Wallaby", "Beaky", "Esther's Trunk", "Where's My Teddy?" and its sequel "It's the Bear!".

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Although Alborough's illustrations are animated and action-filled, his story of Cuddly Dudley--unlike his clever Where's My Teddy? --seems both hackneyed and predictable. Since this "adorable" penguin's family can't "resist having a huddle and a waddle and a cuddle with him," poor Dudley leaves home to find a spot where he can play without being disturbed. When his siblings follow his "waddleprints" to the cabin, Cuddly Dudley turns away each relative with cartoon-style irascibility; enter a man in a furry parka who chases the put-upon penguin "all around the house and out into the snow," shouting "Give me a cuddle!" When Dudley finally escapes and wends his way home, he and his brothers and sisters have "the best huddling, waddling, cuddling session that they'd ever had. Until . . . "--at the turn of the last page, the Eskimo man arrives and races after them all. With its one-dimensional characters and mass-market style, this penguin tale proves too cutesy for words--and, no doubt, for many tastes. Children's BOMC selection. Ages 3-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-- Dudley the penguin is so cuddly that he finds himself constantly surrounded by brothers and sisters who want to hug him. When he finds what he thinks is an abandoned cabin, he enjoys the solitude until the owner returns and also wants to cuddle. The illustrations are in soft-lined, pastel colors, which warm up the Antarctic setting. The writing is somewhat soft, too, full of words like "huddle," "waddle," "toddled," etc. It's not an exciting story, but the images of lots of snuggly penguins might appeal to children. One note: the cabin owner looks like what people once referred to as an "Eskimo." While his home is modern, with books, plumbing, and typewriter, his clothes are hand-sewn and rather outdated in this age of Thinsulate and lightweight alpine ski clothing. In an otherwise moderately amusing story, that strikes a discordant note. --Christine A. Moesch, Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, NY
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (August 7, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564025055
• ISBN-13: 978-1564025050
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 0.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,398,380 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jez was born in Kingston upon Thames in 1959. He went to art school in Norwich and then set about entering the competitve world of children's books. Jez has now written and illustrated over thirty picture books for children, he was runner up of the 1985 Mother Goose Award with his first book Bare Bear. Jez lives in London with his Danish wife.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Really Fun Book!, May 23, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Cuddly Dudley (Paperback)

Funny illustrations, a funny story--my five year old loves it! He first had it read to him at preschool and it was a big hit with all the children in the class. We then borrowed it from the library, and now we own it. It's great fun to read out loud! We like it a lot.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It was supurb!, July 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Cuddly Dudley (Paperback)

Cuddly Duddly is a dramaticly powerful and moving story of Duddly, a penguin who leaves his brothers and sisters in search of a cuddle-free enviroment. The twistedly marvelous ending gives the story a romantic and comical finish. The book is an all out thriller that leaves you screaming with pleasure. It's a roller coaster in literature. You can't put the book down! It's a masterpiece!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars really a roller coaster book, October 16, 2002

By 

NS "Namita" (NJ,USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cuddly Dudley (Paperback)

this is really a roller coaster read aloud book -as mentioned by one of the other reviewers! as you read about the cuddly penguin Duddly, you get an opportunity to cuddle your own children at the end of almost each line!

and i have a confession to make- not only do my kids love the book, i too have declared it to be my favorite book! the narration is so funny and cute.