A quirky, heartfelt story about anxiety, friendship, and finding your voice.



Ten-year-old Shady Cook struggles with selective mutism caused by anxiety. His best friend, Pouya, understands--despite being the class clown, he has his own hang-ups lurking just below the surface. Shady's parents, however, are eager to find a way to help their son start talking more, so when a live duck waddles into their lives and Shady starts to respond, they reluctantly decide to give Svenrietta the emotional support duck a chance. Before long, Shady, Pouya, and their diaper-wearing duck are working to help all of the underdogs (or is it underducks?) at their school--and there are many.