Review| The Cat Kid Comic Club #4

The argument about Dav Pilkey’s writing seems to crop up every few years, whether it’s the toilet humor (not present in this series) or the notion that his books are silly with not much substance. My response to them is that they should read the Cat Kid Comic Club books closely and reconsider their arguments.

Cat Kid Comic Club Collaborations
By Dav Pilkey
Scholastic, $12.99
Grades 2-5

In this latest addition to the series, Sarah Hotoff is interviewing the Comic Club participants and portraying them on a news show. The day starts off badly when the 21 frogs are forced to go back in and clean their rooms.

Through the storytelling, the frogs share the comics they have been working on. They describe how they created their comics: Some of the frogs drew use photos, and some went classic and drew them by hand. The many different formats show kids that art comes in many forms and also gives young readers an inkling of the process of comic making.

It’s true the book is silly, but this graphic novel is geared toward young kids. It’s about trial and error. It’s about effort and about responsibility. Young readers can gain a lot from this series without a lecture that will likely go in one ear and out the other.

One of my favorite moments is when Summer is sad because she feels like she is a fake. Everyone thinks she is a good photographer but so many of her pictures come out bad and she only shares the good ones. The videographer informs her that he’s a pro and he does the same thing. What an amazing lesson… obviously told in an entertaining way.

The artwork is so much fun, and many different mediums are included as each comic is presented differently. The colors are bright and vibrant. The lettering is large, which is great for young readers.

Dav Pilkey might not fall into the same category as Dickens, Bronte, Steinbeck, and so many other dead writers, but he has a cleverness all his own.

Adults, get over yourselves! Buy this for your young readers. They’ll be happy, and you’ll be happy they’re spending a few minutes less looking at a screen.

P.S. My 10-year-old has read this 3 times since she saw it on my review pile.

Filed under: Graphic Novels, Reviews