A Most Excellent Series: Captain Underpants

The Adventures of Captain Underpants (1997)

Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets (1999)

Captain Underpants and the Invasion of the Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies from Outer Space (1999) 

Pilkey, Dav

Fiction

7/5

Warning: Super Awesome

     It all starts with a couple of 4th grade boys playing a bunch of jokes on everyone in their school. Of course their principal, Mr. Krupp, gets angry and gets them in trouble. George and Harold, the two boys, then get a hypnotizing ring and hypnotize Mr. Krupp and tell him to become Captain Underpants and save the town. Of course the mess up while unhypnotizing him and so he then becomes Captain Underpants whenever a specific thing happens...

     Throughout the course of the year George and Harold keep getting into more and more trouble and they cause so many problems. Like in Book 2 where they break into the school and use some kids science fair project to create tons of Talking Toilets. But of course Captain Underpants is there to save the day! Then in Book 3 when the alien cafeteria ladies from outerspace try to take over the school by turning all the kids into zombies. Also in Book 3, an evil scientist builds giant robots that are trying to take over the world. Captain Underpants basically saves the entire planet. He is Captain Underpants though..its easy for him! "Faster than a speeding wasteband, more powerful than boxer shorts.." Captain Underpants can do it all!

     There is so much to learn from this series. They are great books with tons of meaning! One of the biggest themes in the books for me personally is that one person really can make a difference. Captain Underpants saved the school, town, and on one occasion, when he defeated Dr. Diaper, he saved the world. He changed the world for everyone and he is just one person.

     Captain Underpants is a super hero, and where do most super hero book come from? Comic books! Well so does Captain Underpants. He comes from a comic type fiction book. The books have lots of pictures that illustrate whats going on really great. The writing style is very good too though. Although its really descriptive, it is super easy to understand and is written how 4th graders would talk. All in all, the books were written and thought out very good.

     I've read these books before and I've liked them every single time that I've read them. They're funny easy reads and are just great to read. I would say that everyone over the age of 7 can read them. I think though, they are intended for elementary school boys just because of the style they are written in and the difficulty level. The Captain Underpants series are all really fun books which is why they fit really good with elementary school age kids.

     Like I said before, I've read these books before and I still love them. I would reccomend them to anyone and everyone that can read them that has a sense of fun and humor. They are really fun books and I think that most people would enjoy them. Library Journal says about the books, "Whether first-time readers of this series or avid fans, children will enjoy this outrageously funny adventure." I find this statement to be completely true. Publishers Weekly says about the characters in the books, "Bart Simpson could learn a few things from the subversively hilarious Harold and George". I agree with that completely. Harold and George are hysterical. These truly are great books.