The Adventures of Captain Underpants
No. 1 in the Captain Underpants series
by Dav Pilkey

Scholastic (New York): 1997. Trade paperback: 121 pages. ISBN-10: 0-590-84628-0 Suggested retail price: $3.99 (US) Tags: elementary school; Humor; superheroes; underwear; Youth Tactical strength: [6/10]

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Fourth graders George and Harold draw their own comic books featuring Captain Underpants, the Waistband Warrior. In addition to publishing, the boys play a lot of practical jokes and spend a lot of time in the office of Mr. Krupp, the principal of Jerome Horowitz Elementary School. To get out of a particularly bad punishment, the boys buy a 3-D Hypno ring and hypnotize Mr. Krupp. After having Mr. Krupp act like a chicken and a monkey, they tell him to act like Captain Underpants. In a flash, Mr. Krupp sheds all his clothes, ties a red curtain around his neck, and dashes out the window singing his trademark, "Tra-La-Laaa."

The boys, feeling responsible for Mr. Krupp, quickly chase after the Captain to help him avoid getting into trouble while running around in his underwear. Captain Underpants (with some significant help from George and Harold) foils some bank robbers and ultimately saves the world from the evil Dr. Diaper. The boys finally change Captain Underpants back to Mr. Krupp by dumping water on his head, but forever after whenever Mr. Krupp hears snapping fingers, he reverts to Captain Underpants.

Pilkey has written and illustrated a fun, comic-book style story that simultaneously entertains and spoofs the comic-book genre, public education, and the undergarment industry. Good clean potty humor for child and adult.

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