Life & Literary Milestones
As a child, Pilkey was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia. He was so disruptive in class that his teachers made him sit out in the hallway every day. Instead of glancing forlornly into the classroom or staring into space to pass time, as many of us are prone to do, Pilkey spent his time in the hallway creating his own original comic books — the very first adventures of Dog Man and Captain Underpants.
In college, Pilkey met a teacher who encouraged him to write and illustrate for children. He took her advice and created his first book, World War Won, which won a national competition in 1986. From there, Pilkey went on to make many other books before being awarded the California Young Reader Medal for Dog Breath (1994) and the Caldecott Honor for The Paperboy (1996). His first-ever graphic novel, The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby, was published in 2002, 14 years before the release of the first Dog Man book.
Appeal & Inspiration
Semi-autobiographical in essence, Pilkey’s stories explore universal themes that celebrate friendship, empathy, and the triumph of the good-hearted. The values imbued in these stories help to shape a child’s development, mindset, and outlook in life, and make for invaluable learning traits. Simple as they seem, such values can, however, be tricky to impart and comprehend, especially for young children. To bridge the gap, Pilkey combines striking art and humorous text to illustrate his key messages, boost reading comprehension, and deliver his point succinctly. Through his books, Pilkey hopes both children and adults can spend an enjoyable time reading together.
As a successful neurodivergent author, there is certainly much about Pilkey from which aspiring writers-to-be with similar conditions can draw inspiration. Breaking the stereotypes that people with ADHD are unable to sit still and focus long enough to complete a project, and that dyslexia impedes creative writing and makes for poor writers, Pilkey’s longstanding works over the decades speak for themselves. As the saying goes, where there’s a will, there’s a way. And Pilkey’s will is fueled by the fact that he is an avid reader, as he was empowered by his supportive parents who encouraged him to read from young and never limited his choice of books. His choice (and defining) style of storytelling — graphic novels — also allows him to work around his impediment. A graphic novel provides the most conducive space for Pilkey to lay out his work, one where he is able to switch out huge chunks of text, as is the standard for novels, with illustrations. Contrary to the belief that dyslexia hampers his ability to write, Pilkey is of the opinion that it actually helps him become a more effective writer as he pays closer attention to the ease of reading in his works.
Dog Man: Genesis & Latest Buzz
With millions of copies sold and translated into countless languages worldwide, the popularity of Dog Man cannot be denied. What’s uncanny, however, is the appeal of Dog Man himself. Part-man, part-canine, and all-time hero, Dog Man’s genesis is as strange as it is grim. His story unfolds in the eponymous debut graphic novel, where a police officer and his dog are injured on the job and undergo a life-saving surgery to become one entity. With the head of a dog, the body of a human, and visible stitches at the back of his neck, Dog Man is thus born.
It is interesting to note that while Pilkey is the author behind this comedic, crime-fighting comic series, he chooses to frame the story as being written by fifth-graders, George and Harold (who also happen to be main characters of Pilkey’s other comic, Captain Underpants). This deliberate creative undertaking helps inject child-like humour into the action- packed, heroic adventures led by a dog-man hybrid, tickling every child’s fancy all over the world. With man’s best friend here to enforce justice with goofy antics and victorious results, what’s not to love?
In the latest installation of Dog Man, Piggy is back, and his newest plot is his most diabolical yet. Dog Man and the rest of everyone’s favourite characters must join together in this heroic, hilarious, and all-new adventure. What new villains are on the horizon? Where are they all coming from? And who will step forward to save the city when scoundrels sabotage our Supa Buddies?
