DUDE PERFECT

Five dudes and Panda, an occasional costumed guest, lay out dozens of awesome stunts using sports gear and household materials.

Inspired by antics documented in hundreds of videos posted on their popular YouTube channel, the five on-screen hosts who comprise Dude Perfect—Coby Cotton, Cory Cotton, Garrett Hilbert, Cody Jones, and Tyler Toney—open with introductions, then parlay their beginnings sinking hoops with trick shots made over the shoulder, off tall buildings, from aircraft, and so on into more doable but similarly challenging throws with not just basketballs, but footballs, ping-pong balls, and even random housewares, along with activities involving remote-controlled vehicles and more. Safety is a consideration: There are periodic reminders to ask a grown-up for help and information about the dudes’ careful behind-the-scenes preparations. Instructions for making breakaway glass require pouring a boiling sugar solution into molds, and one trick involves throwing footballs with tacks attached at inflated balloon targets. The step-by-step directions are general enough to allow plenty of creativity, and sidebar explanations of, for instance, Wiffle ball and trampoline physics make occasional STEM connections. The performers mug and caper extravagantly throughout to crank up the energy, and their ambition and infectious glee combine to create a strong inducement for readers of any gender or ability level to put down the phone and get off the sofa. The dudes all present as White.

Tons of fun for sporty types and compulsive experimenters.