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Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Reluctant Reader Pick: Dog Man Unleashed (book 2)

Dog Man Unleashed
by Dav Pilkey
Graphix
224 pages
2016
ISBN: 9780545935203

Kids don't need to be told: Dog Man Unleashed is the real deal! Dav Pilkey just keeps getting it right for those reluctant readers who just need a reason to pick up a book. This second book is even more fun than the original.Inane, silly, charming, ridiculous, and did I say silly? Well, fun then. Sheer fun!

 Pilkey does the amazing: he makes everything possible: a T. Rex skeleton becomes reanimated and dances around , a cat can be an evil genius, a police chief is so bumbling that he needs the assistance of Dog Man to solve even the silliest of crimes. In a graphic novel that reads more like a "Rocky and Bullwinkle" cartoon with evil Natasha and Boris, Dog Man is your hero. Pilkey must have spent every Saturday morning glued to his television watching the roadrunner outsmart Wile E. Coyote.

Poor Dog Man. He is half Dog (the head and dog instincts) and half human (the human body). In a  freak accident, Officer Knight and Greg the Dog get blown up, and  the ambulance takes them to the hospital with the siren sounding, "Wee-OOO-Wee_OOO" --never has anyone found a way to write a siren sound that was legit before Pilkey--so applause for that alone! The ER doctors say that the only way to fix Greg the Dog and Officer Knight is to combine them into one. This seems far-fetched, but it is laugh out loud funny!

Dialog is tongue-in-cheek with 80's and 90's references. It is irreverent and hysterical. Two kids are  passing by, a boy and a girl, and see the cat villain stealing treasure chests. A  mysterious stranger wants to stop him by  using  his mind powers to pick up a phone booth to throw at the cat. The kids ask, "What's a phone booth?" Next he picks up a stack of newspaper and a mailbox then "he grabs some other stuff with his brain" from Lulu's Obsolete Goods. The kids wonder what each obsolete item is and that's the fun of it! Adults will chuckle along with their reluctant readers--if they are lucky enough to be reading along, that is!

Dog Man is the perfect cop...except for the fact that every time he sees a bone, he wants to lick it and every time he sees a ball, he wants to chase it and catch it. Pilkey has included flip pages with instructions for readers to flip the pages and see the "action" cartoon. Readers will be delighted!
How to draw pages in back teach readers how to draw main characters and Pilkey's website has more content to interest young doodlers and dreamers.

Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants series made readers out of a generation of reluctant readers two decades ago; Dog Man will take this generation by storm. Hooray for Dog Man!

Highly, highly recommended for all reluctant readers and anyone who needs a laugh. This is sheer silliness for the fun of it! Don't fight it! Give in to Dog Man!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.







20 comments:

  1. I loved the review of the book. Hope this book comes with my book fair in March!!!

    Amy, Fayette, Alabama
    afowler@fayette.k12.al.us

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  2. Sounds like a great read!

    Brian Johnson
    Bjohnson3@sdale.org
    Springdale, AR

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  3. I'm always looking for great books for my young library patrons - they're bound to love Piley's latest! Thanks for the review, and the chance to win a copy!

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  4. Another winner from the "Famous Dav"
    A title my kids are sure to crave

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  5. Ann Schuster
    alschuster@bluevalleyk12.org
    Overland Park, KS

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  6. These Dog Man books are amazing for reluctant readers and early readers. My grandson read the first one in a day, laughed out loud! I'd love to win this one, but then I'd have to decide whether to put it in the library or share it with him. I could probably do both, right?

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  7. Dog Man is the hot title in our library. It flies off our library shelves. We can't wait to read the newest Dog Man!
    Mary
    Cedar Park, TX
    mary.dwight@leaderisd.org

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  8. Super fun title!

    Lynne McHale
    Temperance, MI
    lynne.mchale@mybedford.us

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  9. Haven't gotten my hands on any copies yet but know my elementary students will love it! Thanks for the chance to win a copy.

    Chrissy
    Ann Arbor, Michigan
    postema@aaps.k12.mi.us

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  10. My students love Dog Man. Can't wait to show them Dog Man Unleashed!
    Lisa
    Voorhees, NJ
    librarylisa3@gmail.com

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  11. Cool review! I know my Middle School kids who love Captain Underpants would be excited to read this too.

    Monica
    moquinn@caldwellschools.com
    Lenoir, NC

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  12. Thanks for the review. I have some students that will love it!
    Donnette
    Barron, WI
    mickelsond@barron.k12.wi.us

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  13. Thanks for the review. I have some students that will love this book!
    Donnette
    Barron, WI
    mickelsond@barron.k12.wi.us

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  14. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  15. My nephew loved the first one, he doesn't sit still often but he read Dogman in one sitting!

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  16. I've been thinking of these for my middle school. I'm always looking for funny books.

    Mindy
    Skiatook, Ok
    mlinthicum@skiatookschools.org

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  17. I would love to add this to my collection. The kids are always looking for funny books.

    Mindy
    Skiatook, OK
    mlinthicum@skiatookschools.org

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  18. Dav has done it again! The kids will love this book!

    Karen Paterson
    kpaterson@anthonyisd.net
    825 Wildcat Dr.
    Anthony, TX 79821

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  19. I cannot keep Dog Man or Dog Man Unleashed on the shelf! I bought the first one for my grandson who is a first grader. He loved it, but said Dog Man Unleashed is WAAAYYY better. I like this series because students who are advanced readers in earlier grades enjoy it and students in upper grades who are reluctant or struggling readers like it too. It is a thick books so students who are older, but struggling feel like they have a "real" book. It meets the need of many students at my K-8 school.

    Sara Puetz
    spuetz@usd259.net
    2201 E. 25th N
    Wichita, KS 67219

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