"Ope!"

The book "OPE!" is based on a common Midwestern word that expresses a sudden feeling of surprise or embarrassment. It features eight animals who find themselves in a variety of surprising situations, including an elephant who steps on his own trunk as well as a sloth that oversleeps for her own birthday party. Each animal deals with his or her embarrassment in the same way: By simply uttering the word "Ope!" The rhyming cadence and silly yet relatable scenarios will make this a fun read-aloud experience for kids and adults alike.

The book "OPE!" features eight animals who find themselves in a variety of surprising situations, including an elephant who steps on his own trunk as well as a sloth that oversleeps for her own birthday party. Each animal deals with his or her embarrassment in the same way: Simply by uttering the word "Ope!" The rhyming cadence and silly yet relatable scenarios will make this a fun read-aloud experience for kids and adults alike.

What is "Ope?"

In case you've never heard it before,"Ope" is a word that people, especially Midwesterners, use when experiencing a sudden feeling of surprise or embarrassment. We've all experienced it: A clumsy mistake, a slight misstep, an awkward encounter while trying to walk past someone. These are just a few events that can lead to a person using the word "ope."

As a native Nebraskan, I have been hearing and using the word "Ope" throughout my entire life without even thinking about it. One day, I was at home with my 18-month-old son, and tripped over one of his toys. As I was trying not to fall, I said "OPE!" before catching myself. He laughed, then repeated the word I had just uttered.

Later that day, while he was napping, I sat down and typed my first draft of this book. My hope is to help connect kids and their grown-ups to show how we can externalize these mildly uncomfortable feelings in a simple, silly way.