If you liked Dog Man…you are not alone! Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man series has been an absolute hit since the first one came out in 2016. According to Scholastic, “the series has more than 40 million copies in print to date with 42 foreign language editions.” People all over the world love Dog Man and his friends. So much so that their story has been turned into a musical and an animated movie (to be released in January of 2025). We here at the library love Dog Man so much that we’re hosting a program about him on August 14! Personally, one of the most common questions I receive at the Children’s Desk here at the library is where to find the well-known series. Clearly, Pilkey is popular. But sometimes people love him so much that there are no copies of his books left in the library! What are you supposed to read then? Or perhaps you’ve already read through the entire series multiple times and are ready for something new. We have a huge collection of books, and trying to find one that you’ll like can be overwhelming. In either case, we’ve got you covered. I’ve created a list of books that fill the same niche as Dog Man does. While all of the books on that list are full of action and laughs, I definitely have my favorites. Read on for my top 5 recommendations!
Best Long Series
“Bad Guys” by Aaron Blabey
One of the great things about Dog Man is that there are currently 12 books out in the series. Once you’re done with the main series, you can begin reading the spin-off, “Cat Kid Comic Club”. I don’t know about you, but I love becoming invested in a series. I feel like I’m able to connect more deeply to all of the characters and become interested in their fates. Short series just don’t give me that same satisfaction. If you’re like me, you’re going to love Blabey’s “Bad Guys” series. There aren’t just 12 books. There aren’t even 15. Oh no, there are currently 19 books. The 20th and final book in the series is set to be released at the end of 2024. You can really sink your teeth into this lengthy series.
Join 4 criminals as they try to turn their life around. Mr. Wolf convinces his friends, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, and Mr. Shark, to try to become a part of the good guys by completing frankly ridiculous hijacks meant to help other animals. In the first book, they work together to free 200 dogs from the pound. After that, they rescue 10,000 chickens from a high-tech cage farm. No matter the events, each book is bound to make you laugh. Dav Pilkey himself has said, “I wish I had these books as a kid! Hilarious!” You won’t regret it if you choose to pick up this hilarious series.
Best Message
“CatStronauts” by Drew Brockington
Though it has a lot of potty humor, there are some great messages in Dog Man. Dav Pilkey has said that he hopes to encourage children’s creativity by writing the books as if they come from George and Harold themselves. Not only that, but all of his books consistently focus on the good in people. As his author bio states, “his stories explore universally positive themes that celebrate the triumph of the good-hearted.” Take Petey, for instance. He starts the series as the main antagonist. But slowly, through friendship, hope and forgiveness, he learns how to work with others instead of against them. If you like the series because of the useful lessons, I think you would also love “CatStronauts” by Drew Brockington.
Anyone close to me knows that I am a pretty staunch environmentalist. I think our Earth is an amazing place, and I love being able to take care of it. That’s part of why I love CatStronauts so much. A mass energy crisis hits the Earth, and they have to figure out some way to get power before everything shuts down. The President decides to send the world’s best scientists out to the moon to be able to start a solar energy plant up there. Enter the CatStonauts, a group of elite researchers who also happen to be cats. I love how this series manages to blend an insane amount of cat puns and a cheery tone with more heavy topics like the climate crisis and illusions to the space race. Not only are they good advocates for their world, but the CatStronauts are also fantastic friends. You’ll love this series if you’re drawn to Dog Man because of the tone, friendship, and message!
Best Transition to Chapter Books
“Max & the MidKnights” by Lincoln Pierce
One of the beautiful things about “Dog Man” is that it is a fantastic entry point for beginning readers. Transitioning from picture books to chapter books can be very intimidating. Reading large blocks of text without losing your spot or becoming overwhelmed is a skill that has to be learned. The comic book style of Dog Man can be super helpful in this stage. You still get a longer story to build attention span and more text than you would in a picture book but in a much more accessible format. Dav Pilkey acknowledged this when he spoke about his books being banned. He stated, “I’ve heard from parents, teachers and kids alike that they’ve helped turn non-readers into readers. I’ve even had kids tell me they’ve “graduated” from reading my books to longer and more complex stories.” But once Dog Man has ignited your kid’s love of reading, how do you move from graphic novels to chapter books? Max & the Midknights is one way!
Max and her friends team together and form the MidKnights to save her uncle from the evil King Gastley. This trilogy is full of classic fantasy adventure, as the group has to contend with all sorts of monsters like dragons and goblins. It is littered with jokes and has a similar tone to Dog Man. The best part of it is the style, however. I would classify this novel as a hybrid. Almost every page has a combination of paragraphs of text and panels of comics. It’s a wonderful way to get that quintessential comic book style while also upping the amount of words per page. If you or your kiddo are ready for something a little bit more advanced than Dog Man, Lincoln Pierce is the author for you.
Best Collection
One thing that makes graphic novels so great is the combination of words and art. The style of the drawings can completely change the story. Take Dog Man for instance. Part of the appeal for many kids is the fact that it looks like something they could draw. Imagine how different the series would be if the art was hyperrealistic. It would lose a lot of that childlike whimsy. I love Pilkey’s style, but perhaps after reading all the Dog Man books, you’re ready for something new. The only problem there is the sheer amount of options! How are you to know if you like an author’s style and tone? The Comics Squad books are a great place to start.
“Comics Squad: Recess” includes many different short comics/stories about recess by ten of the most prominent graphic novel creators of our day. Dog Man himself even makes an appearance in the collection! He’s not the only famous character, however. Jarrett Krosoczka’s Lunch Lady also has her own time to shine, as do Matthew and Jennifer Holms’ Babymouse. This book is a great way to introduce the voice and style of many different authors. You’ll get a lot of action and hilarity from creators like Krosoczka and Pilkey and slightly more serious and sweet tales from Santat and Yang. You may even find a new favorite author in this group.
Best Overall
“InvestiGATORS” by John Patrick Green
I think part of the reason Dog Man is so popular is because it fills so many different niches. As I’ve mentioned before, the art is something with which many children can identify. The bright colors and simplistic style make it easy to follow what’s happening. It’s full of humor and puns that make people of all ages laugh out loud. The pace is quick, sometimes even breakneck, and bound to keep anyone reading. On top of that, it’s got wonderful examples of friendship. All of this together makes a series that deserves all of the attention. It’s hard to find other books with all of these factors. Or so I thought, until I read my favorite pick of this list: “InvestiGATORS.”
Mango and Brash, two best friends, go undercover as private detectives to solve crimes throughout the city. Decked out in their V.E.S.Ts (Very Exciting Spy Technology), they use their secret spy ways through the city’s sewers to get where they need to go. Together they handle a scientist chicken, a giant were-helicopter, a dinosaur and more, all in the first book. Throughout the 7 book series, they deal with everything from giant plungers to jumbo ants and everything in between. These novels have it all. There are probably more puns in the first book alone than in multiple of Dav Pilkey’s works combined, and that’s saying something. As a pun lover, even as an adult, I found Mango’s commentary laugh-out-loud funny. I mean, who can resist someone who loudly proclaims that they’re going to “GATOR DONE!”? Not only that, but the plot is full of twists and turns as they try to solve mysteries. There is as much, if not more, action than there is in “Dog Man.” And to tie it all in a bow, Mango and Brash have a wonderful friendship. Just like Dog Man and his friends, they stick with each other through thick and thin. Whether they’re fighting a dinosaur or a deranged crocodile, they always have each others’ backs. This series has a lot of the same fundamentals as Dog Man but is unique enough to be a wonderful read.
If you’ve read through all of these and haven’t been able to find a new series for you, remember to look at the other options in my much longer list. And if you just can’t get enough of Dog Man, join us on August 14 at either 1:30 p.m. or 3 p.m. for a celebration of Dog Man and his friends. Make a hat just like Dog Man, invent like Petey, learn to draw your favorite characters and more! Hope to see you there, and always, happy reading!
