This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Dav Pilkey first appeared on my radar back in the early 2000’s when my brother began reading Captain Underpants. I loved seeing him light up about books the way I did. Now that I work at a library, I see that same enthusiasm amongst the many kids who check out the Pilkey books in our collection, especially the Dog Man series.
That’s what makes Dav Pilkey’s books so special. They’re funny, heartfelt, and most importantly, they help kids fall in love with reading. Ever since I wrote a literature review on the enjoyment of reading back in college, I’ve been a strong believer in how much fostering a joy in reading can contribute to people becoming lifelong readers.
This year marks 10 years since the publication of the first Dog Man book. I admire how much joy Dav Pilkey has brought to young readers, especially reluctant readers. To celebrate this special anniversary, I’m shining a well-deserved spotlight on Dav Pilkey and the legacy of Dog Man below.
A Bit About Dav Pilkey
Before I jump into the Dog Man series, I wanted to take a moment to highlight Dav Pilkey’s endearing Author’s Note featured in many of his books, including the more recent Dog Man books. Like me, my son’s a dragon book kid, and after I finished reading Pilkey’s new Dragon Tales story collection to him, I came across the Author’s Note at the back of the book.
The Kids Are All Right
Sign up to The Kids Are All Right to receive news and recommendations from the world of kid lit and middle grade books.
Pilkey writes, “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. In second grade, Dav’s teacher ripped up his comics and said he couldn’t spend the rest of his life making silly books. Fortunately, Dav was not a very good listener.” Part of this note can be found on Dav Pilkey’s website as well.
This note hit close to home for me, and my heart as a mom goes out to Pilkey. His perseverance to create despite the hurdles he faced from his teachers is incredibly moving. It feels so cathartic to know his books now reach so many kids, including those with ADHD, dyslexia, and all those who can relate to how he felt in school.
So What’s Dog Man About?
After a dog named Greg and his human cop companion get hurt by the sinister Petey the Cat, a miraculous surgery saves them. Our new hero, Dog Man, has the head of a dog and the body of a cop, and he’s ready to defend his city! Throughout the many hilarious misadventures of Dog Man and his friends, Pilkey touches upon powerful themes like empathy, kindness, and being yourself.
So far, the Dog Man series includes 14 books. Many feature titles that are catchy puns based off of classic books, like Fetch-22 and Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea. Another Book Riot writer created this handy guide to Dog Man for parents and educators. This makes a great starting point for those looking to begin the Dog Man series.
The Success of Dog Man
According to the publisher of Dog Man, Scholastic, there are over 70 million copies of the series spanning 50 languages around the world. In 2024, the twelfth book in the series, Dog Man: The Scarlet Shedder, received the honor of the #1 bestselling book globally. The success of Dog Man continued throughout 2025 as well. In a Publishers Weekly list of the bestselling children’s books from 2025, Cady Zeng (2026) reported that the newest Dog Man book, Big Jim Believes, made it into the top 3 spots on the Hardcover Frontlist, with nearly 800,000 copies sold.
On top of the success of the books, the Dog Man movie that was released last year was also a big hit. Jake Coyle and The Associated Press (2025) shared that, “On a quiet winter weekend at the box office, DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Dog Man’ chased its own tail, repeating as the top movie in theaters.” It outsold the other new releases of the weekend, including Love Hurts and Heart Eyes, collecting $13.7 million in ticket sales.
A Roger Eger reviewer Nell Minow (2025) described the film as “sublimely silly, a mixture of comedy, action, and heart, all done with such high spirits it seems effortless.” The success of the Dog Man book series, as well as the movie, are testaments to the power of Dav Pilkey’s storytelling and art.
A Few Final Thoughts
It’s been 10 years since the publication of Dog Man, and it’s inspiring to see how much the series has taken off. I hope those who read Dog Man, along with Pilkey’s other delightful works, discover more joy in reading. I hope his stories make other kids believe in themselves, too. Knowing what Dav Pilkey has overcome to create such amazing stories, maybe they too will feel like they can bring their own wonderful, imaginative creations to life.
.jpg "Massive Attack’s First Song in Six Years Features Tom Waits")