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The World of Dav Pilkey

Submitted by rthomas on Thu, 01/05/2012 - 13:17.

 

 

AT–A–GLANCE
What is it?

Dav Pilkey is the bestselling author and award-winning illustrator of books with humor and heart for children, including Captain Underpants and Dog Man.

On the Web

pilkey.com
scholastic.com/davpilkey

Press Contact

Charisse Meloto
cmeloto@scholastic.com
(212) 389-3785

"Dav Pilkey is a rock star."

—The Washington Post

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Highlights

 

Download the sizzle reel: 30 seconds | 60 seconds | 90 seconds
  • There are more than 60 million Dog Man books and 90 million Captain Underpants books in print worldwide.
  • Dog Man is available in 47 languages, Captain Underpants is available 37 languages and Cat Kid Comic Club is available in 26 languages.
  • DreamWorks Animation released Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, a feature film adaptation based on the book series.
  • In 2018, Netflix and DreamWorks Animation launched The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, an animated television show based on the Captain Underpants series. 
  • Dav Pilkey received the 1997 Caldecott Honor Medal for The Paperboy, which he also wrote.

About Dav Pilkey

When Dav Pilkey was a kid, he was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. He was so disruptive in class that his teachers made him sit out in the hallway every day. Luckily, Dav loved to draw and make up stories, so he spent his time in the hallway creating his own original comic books—the very first adventures of Dog Man and Captain Underpants.

Since then, Dav has written and illustrated a number of bestselling and award-winning children’s books, including the Caldecott Honor book The Paperboy. His Captain Underpants series and Dog Man graphic novels have sold millions of copies worldwide and have been translated into many languages.

Dav lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife, but his writing is inspired by children and adults around the world. His stories explore universally positive themes that celebrate the triumph of the good-hearted.

Press Announcements

In the News 

  • Publishers Weekly highlighted “A Newsy Spring for Dog Man” featuring Upcoming Global Dog Man Day Celebrations, the return of TheaterWorks USA Dog Man: The Musical, and more.
  • Publishers Weekly featured the bestselling success of Dav Pilkey and Dog Man in their article titled “Dav Pilkey Dominated the 2021 Bestseller List.” 
  • Publishers Weekly highlighted the success and impact of Dog Man and Cat Kid Comic Club and Dav Pilkey, including the annoucement of the forthcoming Cat Kid Comic Club: On Purpose, and the heartwarming "Bark to School" campaign.
  • Dav Pilkey appeared in a segment on NBC’S TODAY SHOW promoting reading to kids in underserved communities. TODAY.com exclusively shared videos featuring Dav Pilkey reading aloud from Cat Kid Comic Club and Dog Man: Mothering Heights.
  • Good Morning America exclusively revealed the cover of Dog Man: Mothering Heights.
  • The Hollywood Reporter exclusively announced the 'Dog Man' Movie in the Works From DreamWorks Animation
  • Publishers Weekly recaps the mega-selling Dav Pilkey’s recent publications and artistic endeavors, including a sneak peek of Cat Kid Comic Club and the title of the next Dog Man book, Dog Man: Mothering Heights.
  • USA Today announced the Top 100 Best-Selling Books of 2019: “[T]he top children’s book is ‘Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls,’ by Dav Pilkey, who is the most-represented author on the list, with seven titles.”
  • The Beat announced Dav Pilkey as the Comics Industry Person of the Year! "2019 was without a shred of a hint of a doubt the year of the kids comic, and no one triumphed like Dav Pilkey. Pilkey had a year that only a tiny handful of authors at their very peak could match.”
  • Fast Company magazine named Dav Pilkey as one of their “Most Productive People” in a list that also features Jane Goodall, Idris Elba, Naomi Osaka, and more. 
  • Publishers Weekly named Dav Pilkey their Person of the Year for 2019: “Pilkey is doing more to excite kids about reading than any author since J.K. Rowling.”
  • Bleeding Cool placed Dav Pilkey at #1 on its top 100 power list of comics for 2019.
  • The Washington Post featured the Library of Congress “National Book Festival Presents Dav Pilkey” event covering Dav’s message, and the Do Good Tour. "It’s good to think differently. This world needs people who think differently; it’s your superpower.”
  • NBC’s TODAY Show Dav Pilkey was interviewed by NBC correspondent Jenna Bush Hager.

 

 

  • Publishers Weekly ran a photo essay of Dav Pilkey's “Do Good” Tour in Asia recapping events in Shanghai, Singapore, and Mumbai.
  • The Straits Times interviewed Dav Pilkey at the Singapore stop on the “Do Good” Tour and highlighted how he considers his ADHD and dyslexia a blessing. "I think my dyslexia helps me to be a more effective writer."
  • The Indian Express ran a feature story covering Dav Pilkey's “Do Good” Tour stop in Mumbai at the Royal Opera House. They also published an online piece and released a podcast interview where Dav Pilkey discussed growing up with ADHD and dyslexia.
  • MumbaiLive announced Dav Pilkey's Do Good Tour stop at the Royal Opera House in Mumbai. They also followed up with coverage and photos from the event. "I feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to meet readers around the world and I'm especially excited to visit India for the first time!"
  • Mumbai Mirror published excerpts of their interview with Dav Pilkey, highlighting how he keeps his imagination active and makes his stories resonate with kids. "At the core of all these books, is a message about children trying to improve and become better versions of themselves."
  • Telangana Today ran an interview from Dav's Pilkey's Do Good Tour stop in India, focusing on how Dav's stories connect with kids. "I think it’s important for children to have a positive experience with books as early as possible."
  • Publishers Weekly ran an in-depth feature story including an in-depth look at the Do Good Tour and what some of the locations are doing to serve their communities.
  • New York Magazine included DOG MAN in its list of best strategist-approved books to give kids.
  • The Pilot featured Dav Pilkey's event in North Carolina for his Dog Man Do Good Tour.
  • The Fayetteville Observer published an article on Dav’s visit with students in Fort Bragg, North Carolina for the Dog Man Do Good Tour. 
  • NBC's TODAY Show segment: Author Dav Pilkey on getting kids excited about reading and art
  • School Library Journal reveals new ALA READ poster featuring original "Dog Man" artwork
  • Publishers Weekly: Dav Pilkey's Dog Man Takes to the Stage—and the Road through the Dog Man “Do Good” campaign
  • Deadline exclusively announced that Dog Man is getting the stage musical treatment, “TheaterWorksUSA, in partnership with Writers House and Scholastic, have secured the rights to adapt the worldwide bestseller for the stage.”
  • The Wall Street Journal “This ‘Dog Man’ Has Its Day” feature story, Dav Pilkey’s graphic novel series prepares for its biggest rollout yet…his second grade drawings of a canine superhero led to a global publishing franchise.”
  • BuzzFeed’s AM to DM live in-studio interview “A peek into the mind of a hilarious author and illustrator”
  • Hollywood Reporter “Dav Pilkey’s Latest ‘Dog Man’ Gets Huge ‘Harry Potter’-like First Printing.”

For more press coverage, please see here.

Dog Man Series


Critics Dig Dog Man!

 “Dav Pilkey is a rock star.”

—The Washington Post

 “Hilarious, clever, and just right for kids of all ages.”

—San Francisco Chronicle

 “An utter, unfettered delight.”

—Booklist, starred review

 “Action-oriented cartoons...Laffs aplenty.”

—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

 “Readers (of any age) will be giggling from start to finish.”

— Publishers Weekly, starred review of Dog Man

 “Pilkey has once again fired an arrow of joy straight at the fevered childhood psyche of millions of readers”

— Booklist, starred review of Dog Man

 “Riotously funny and original.”

— School Library Journal, starred review of Dog Man

About the Dog Man series:

Dog Man follows the adventures of a lovable canine superhero who’s part dog and part policeman. With each Dog Man book, readers see the growth and development of the main narrators George and Harold through their comics. Their artwork, grammar, as well as their spelling improve as the series progresses. The series also explores universal themes and positive messages including empathy, compassion, striving to become a better version of one’s self, as well as the importance of doing good.

Captain Underpants Series


Critics Are Crazy About Captain Underpants!

“Irresistible.”

— Entertainment Weekly

“Call Pilkey… the savior of the ‘reluctant reader’”

— USA Today

“So appealing that youngsters won’t notice their vocabulary stretching”

— School Library Journal

“Combines empowerment and empathy with age-appropriate humor and action”

— Booklist

“Pilkey’s sharp humor shines, and is as much fun for parents as their young readers”

— Parent's Choice Foundation

“Celebrates the triumph of the good-hearted”

— The Educational Book and Media Association

About the Captain Underpants series:

Meet George and Harold, two fourth graders with BIG imaginations. The only thing they enjoy more than playing practical jokes is creating their own comic books about a silly superhero named Captain Underpants. But nothing can prepare them for what happens when their comic-book character comes to life!

Downloadable Book Covers