Dav Pilkey author page

Dav Pilkey biography

Dav Pilkey is an American author and illustrator best known for creating the bestselling Captain Underpants and Dog Man series. Born David Murray Pilkey Jr. on March 4, 1966, in Cleveland, Ohio, he was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia at a young age. During elementary school, he often spent time in the hallway for disrupting class, where he began drawing comics that would later inspire his career.

Pilkey attended Kent State University, where he created his first published book, World War Won, which won a national competition in 1986. He went on to publish a number of picture books in the 1990s before achieving major success with The Adventures of Captain Underpants in 1997. The series follows two fourth graders who create a comic-book superhero that accidentally comes to life. It has sold millions of copies worldwide and was adapted into a 2017 animated feature film and a Netflix series.

In 2016, Pilkey launched the Dog Man series, which centers on a half-dog, half-human police officer. The books feature humor, action, and themes of empathy and creativity. Dog Man quickly became a publishing phenomenon, topping bestseller lists and being translated into dozens of languages.

In addition to his major series, Pilkey has written and illustrated books such as the Dragon series and The Paperboy, which received a Caldecott Honor in 1997. He is also known for his advocacy of children’s literacy and his belief in the importance of letting kids choose what they read.