Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey

Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey

Silliness sells books.  Why?  Well, goofiness grabs the attention of even the most reluctant readers and true inanity is so much fun that you simply have to read the book again and again and eventually buy it yourself or wear out the library copies.  So lets thank Dav Pilkey, master of goofiness, for maintaining his high silly quotient and keeping young readers engaged in hilarious and sometimes irreverent tales. 

The prolific author and illustrator of the Captain Underpants, Ricky Ricotta, and Dragon series, Pilkey brings his special brand of silliness to picture books in Dogzilla.  From the outset, Pilkey sets up this book as a clear spoof of the Godzilla films.  He begins with a credits page noting the true names of his animal “actors” (his actual pet dog and mice) and proclaiming an “EG” rating: “This book has been rated ‘Extremely Goofy.’ Some material may be too goofy for grown-ups.”  Well, not too goofy for this grown-up.  Dogzilla and its companion book Kat Kong are among my favorite read-alouds. 

Who can resist intoning the mock horror narration of a B movie and saying all of these ridiculous puns?  Dogzilla, “the most terrifying creature ever known to mousekind” emerges from a volcano after smelling the savory scents from Mousopolis’ First Annual Barbecue Cook-Off.  Wacky antics ensue as the mice attempt to counter the monstrous mutt and her horrible dog breath.  For the amusement of the audience, cliched phrases are sprinkled throughout the text.  “What are you, men or mice?” and “You simply can’t teach an old dog new tricks” assume new relevance when presented in the context of this mock creature feature.  However, my favorite line has proven enjoyable for children as young as toddlers and is featured when the mouse military leader pursues Dogzilla back to her volcano:  “The Big Cheese tried to catch up to the hot dog with all the relish he could muster.”  Get it?  Silly, yes, but young children find this page hilarious because they can understand the joke even if they don't fully comprehend the terms "relish" and "muster."  Dogzilla is tremendously fun to read and together with Kat Kong became a much anticipated tradition of my preschool’s summer camp.

Pilkey melds photographs of his pets with vibrant cartoon-quality illustrations.  Children enjoy pointing out where the photographs end and the paintings begin.  Using this engaging technique, Pilkey creates hilarious vignettes of helmeted mice riding in tanks and wielding fire hoses and a bespeckled professor sporting horn-rimmed glasses and carrying a giant scrub brush.  The mild demeanor of the title character offsets any potential fear factor for young children.  Dogzilla herself is an amiable looking corgi whose photograph is superimposed on vividly colored backdrops of erupting volcanic ash and jagged lightning bolts.  Even when wreaking havoc on the streets of Mousopolis, she sports a goofy dog smile.

So remember silly Dav Pilkey when you are searching for an enticement for a disinterested reader.  Even Pilkey’s first name is a testament to his goofy outlook.  It’s pronounced “Dave” but spelled “Dav” in silly homage to a nametag misspelling from a former job at Pizza Hut.  His kind-hearted and goofy books have come to the rescue in many a home including my own.  Thank you Captain Underpants for keeping my then second grade son reading books!

For a complete list of Pilkey's work, interviews, and even goofy games, visit http://www.pilkey.com/