When Dav Pilkey was a kid, he was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. Dav 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. He spent his time in the hallway creating his own original comic books -- the very first adventures of Dog Man and Captain Underpants. 

 

In college, Dav met a teacher who encouraged him to illustrate and write. He won a national competition in 1986 and the prize was the publication of his first book, World War Won. He made many other books before being awarded the 1998 California Young Reader Medal for Dog Breath, which was published in 1994, and in 1997 he won the Caldecott Honor for The Paperboy. The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby, published in 2002, was the first complete graphic novel spin-off from the Captain Underpants series and appeared at #6 on the USA Today bestseller list for all books, both adult and children's, and was also a New York Times bestseller. It was followed by Super Diaper Baby 2: The Invasion of the Potty Snatchers, a USA Today bestsellers. 

 

The unconventional style of these graphic novels is intended to encourage uninhibited creativity in kids. His stories are semi-autobiographical and explore universal themes that celebrate friendship, tolerance, and the triumph of the good-hearted. Dav loves to kayak in the Pacific Northwest with his wife.

• Dav Pilkey won a Caldecott Honor in 1997 for his picture book, The Paperboy.

 

• In 2002, Dav’s first graphic novel, The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby, was published and became an instant national bestseller.

 

• Since the first Dog Man book launched to multiple starred reviews in Fall 2016, the series has more than 40 million copies in print to date with 42 foreign language editions.

 

• Dog Man: Mothering Heights was the #1 bestselling book overall in the U.S. in 2021—children’s and adult books combined.

 

• Dog Man: Grime and Punishment, published September 1, 2020, debuted at #1 overall (children’s and adult books combined) on its first week of on-sale in the U.S. and Canada, and swept the top spots on USA Today, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, IndieBound, Toronto Star, and The Globe and Mail bestseller lists, and also hit #1 in many countries around the globe. 

 

• DreamWorks Animation is currently developing a feature film adaptation of Dog Man.

 

 • Dog Man has been adapted into an Off Broadway musical, “Dog Man: The Musical” by TheaterWorksUSA.

 

• Dav wrote and illustrated the phenomenally popular Captain Underpants series. Launched nearly 25 years ago, Captain Underpants has more than 90 million copies in print, translated in 43 languages, and released as a feature film by DreamWorks Animation as well as an original series on Netflix.

 

• Dav Pilkey wrote and illustrated the acclaimed Dragon series for early readers.

 

• In 2019, Dav Pilkey was named one of Fast Company magazine’s “Most Productive People,” as well as Publishers Weekly’s “Person of the Year,” and The Beat’s “Comics Industry Person of the Year.”

 

• Dav is the author and illustrator of over 70 picture books and graphic novels for children. His books have been translated into 46 languages and are international bestsellers.

 

• Cat Kid Comic Club marks Dav Pilkey’s thirty-four years of publishing bestselling and award-winning books for children in various formats, all with his trademark humor and heart. 

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