Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1121071 in Books
• Published on: 1997-09-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 128 pages

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4?Pilkey plays with words and pictures, providing great entertainment. The story is immediately engaging?two fourth-grade boys who write comic books and who love to pull pranks find themselves in big trouble. Mean Mr. Krupp, their principal, videotapes George and Harold setting up their stunts and threatens to expose them. The boys' luck changes when they send for a 3-D Hypno-Ring and hypnotize Krupp, turning him into Captain Underpants, their own superhero creation. Later, Pilkey includes several pages of flip-o-ramas that animate the action. The simple black-and-white illustrations on every page furnish comic-strip appeal. The cover features Captain Underpants, resplendent in white briefs, on top of a tall building. This book will fly off the shelves.?Mary M. Hopf, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 2^-4. The title and the cover art, which depicts a toothy, egg-shaped fellow in a red cape and jockey shorts, are designed to keep this chapter book in constant circulation. The story is a superhero spoof: two misbehaving fourth-grade boys, Harold and George, hypnotize their school principal and turn him into their comic book creation, Captain Underpants. The boys have their hands full when the captain escapes and starts chasing bad guys in his underwear. The extra leading and slightly enlarged typeface make for easier reading, but the silliness goes overboard (picture villainous Dr. Diaper staring at a pile of rubber doggy doo), and the many action-packed illustrations rob the plot of some of its zip by commanding more than their share of attention. (The flip book pages seem clever, but they're really just a tease). Still, the humor is on target for some kids in this age group, who will undoubtedly look forward to a planned second adventure--Captain Underpants 2: Attack of the Talking Toilets. Stephanie Zvirin

From Kirkus Reviews
In the fine old tradition of James Marshall's Cut-Ups, Pilkey (God Bless the Gargoyles, 1996, etc.) introduces George Beard and Harold Hutchins, two usually responsible fourth-graders, as in ``whenever anything bad happened, George and Harold were usually responsible.'' Pranksters of the first order, George and Harold are finally nabbed by Mr. Krupp, the principal, whom they then hypnotize into believing he's Captain Underpants, a superhero of their own creation. Before they can stop him, he's out the window in cape and briefs, off to fight crime with Wedgie Power, taking on bank robbers, robot thieves--`` `You know,' said George, `up until now this story was almost believable!' ''--and ultimately the evil Dr. Diaper. Distracting Dr. Diaper with some ``fake doggy doo- doo,'' the boys save the planet, then hustle Krupp back into his clothes, just in time for--their next adventure, The Attack of the Talking Toilets, coming soon. Pilkey's stubby black-and-white cartoon figures appear on every page but can be animated in one chapter, thanks to ``Flip-O-Rama,'' where readers flip pages back and forth for the ``latest in cheesy animation technology.'' There'll be no silence in the library once readers get hold of this somewhat classier alternative to Barf-o-Rama books and their crude ilk. (Fiction. 9-11) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

From the author of Kat Kong
The first in a series of epic novels for tykes. Readers may identify with the characters in this novel. As with the concepts in Mad Magazine, there are some diversions to add interest, such as "FLIP-O-RAMA." The book even contains a warning from the "Sturgeon General."

Stephen King started out writing a comic book at school. Evidently a similar action lead to the origins of the great red caped slightly clad hero.

This book reveals the origins of "Captain Underpants" whose true identity is so secret "that even HE does not know who he is."
TRA-LA-LAAAAAAAAAAA!

The First In A Series Of Humorous Novels
First off, Dav Pilkey is a funny guy that writes great books. Probably his most popular novels are the Captain Underpants series. The Adventures of Captain Underpants is the first one in this kid-popular series. Here's the overall scoop:
George and Harold (two 4th graders) have a problem. They have a 'silly streak' a mile long. Sometimes, that 'silly streak' gets them in trouble. Big trouble. I'm not going to ruin the surprise, but I'll tell you that what's ahead has action, thrills and laughs.

Captain Underpants is funny and is a way to waste a half hour. Yeah, you can finish this in 30 minutes, 20 if you're fast. That's my only complaint about this book. It's unbelievably short, even if it is 121 pages. The chapters can't even be considered chapters because they're about 4 pages long. The pages have 1-5 sentences each, so the book isn't long at all.
You won't grow attached to the characters, but you won't hate them either. Another cool aspect of the book is the Flip-O-Rama pages where you get excitement just by flipping a page. I'm pretty sure you'll like this book, but if you're 20 years plus, you may find it disgusting and dumb. Because you don't think kid humor is funny. All in all, The Adventures of Captain Underpants started the series off good and grew into a series that enchants kids.

A convert to potty humor
Potty humor has never been my thing but after reading a poll of children's authors naming Dav Pilkey today's funniest children's writer I broke down and bought the book. I was laughing so hard I could barely read it to my children. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but that is almost true.

Pilkey actually uses wonderful vocabulary words and intelligent humor along with his doo-doo words and diaper jokes. The mix is fantastic and shows that intelligence does not preclude silliness and the lack of intelligence may cause you to miss out on a lot of fun.

The illustrations are integral to the story beginning on page one. There are pictures (very amusing pictures) on every page which keep my 4-year-old interested and the flip-o-rama action is genius (in a low-tech sort of chapter book way.)

Don't be afraid to check out this book...you may actually enjoy it or even love it like I do.