Some heroes wear capes. Others have tail feathers.
Ten-year-old Shady Cook doesn’t talk at school. In fact, his anxiety won’t let him do anything that draws attention to himself—even speaking to his best friend, Pouya.
Pouya gets it—he knows how hard it is to be different. Plus, he and Shady have bigger fish to fry. According to very reliable internet sources, the end of the world is just around the corner. They need to find a way to make their last days worthwhile.
For Shady’s sister, Manda, his selective mutism is a big deal. She’s spent years watching out for her little brother, and she has the nonexistent social life to prove it. So when a wild duckling waddles into their lives and Shady becomes less anxious, Manda is all for keeping it. Who knows? Maybe Sven the emotional support duck is just what their family needs.
Before long, Shady, Pouya, and their diaper- wearing duck are hatching a plan worthy of their last days on Earth. But changing the world—or at least Carleton Elementary—won’t be easy.
Albert Whitman & Co.
More than 100 Years of Good Books
Printed in the United States of America
Jacket art copyright © 2020 by Albert Whitman & Company