Introduction
Cat Kid Comic Club is a graphic novel series created by award-winning writer-illustrator Dav Pilkey, best known for the Captain Underpants and Dog Man series. The Cat Kid Comic Club books follow a group of friends who start their own comic club and create their own stories and comics with their cats.
About the Author and Illustrator
The Cat Kid Comic Club books are written and illustrated by the creative duo of author Dav Pilkey and illustrator Tadahiro Uesugi.
Dav Pilkey is the popular children’s book author best known for creating the Captain Underpants and Dog Man series. He grew up struggling with ADHD and dyslexia, which he credits for his boundless imagination and humor in his writing. Pilkey has won several awards for his literature over the years, selling over 200 million copies worldwide. More information on Dav Pilkey’s background can be found at his official website here.
Tadahiro Uesugi is a Japanese illustrator and manga artist known for his colorful, energetic art style. He has worked on a variety of children’s books and manga series, including illustrating the Japanese editions of the Captain Underpants and Dog Man books. Uesugi’s dynamic illustrations capture the spirit and humor of Pilkey’s writing. More examples of Uesugi’s work can be seen on his website here.
Together, Pilkey and Uesugi make the perfect pairing for the zany, engaging Cat Kid Comic Club books that have captured the imaginations of young readers.
Original Cat Kid Comic Club Book
The original Cat Kid Comic Club book, titled Cat Kid Comic Club, was published in 2021. It was written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey, the creator of the popular Dog Man books. This first installment introduces readers to Li’l Petey, Flippy, and Molly, a trio of friends who decide to start the Cat Kid Comic Club.
In the book, Li’l Petey loves to create his own comics but lacks confidence in his skills. His friends Flippy and Molly decide to start a comic club to encourage Petey and allow kids to practice making comics together. As new members join, the club embarks on funny adventures and collaborations while also learning about teamwork, art, and friendship.
The book provides an overview of comic creation by explaining different elements like writing a story, penciling, inking, lettering, and coloring. It also includes several full-length comic stories created by the club members. Common Sense Media calls the book “a creative way for kids to learn comic creation.”
Overall, the first Cat Kid Comic Club book serves as an introduction to the club members and establishes the lighthearted tone and focus on teamwork, creativity, and fun that defines the series. With Pilkey’s energetic illustrations and humor, it aims to inspire young readers to create their own stories and artwork.
Source: commonsensemedia.org
Second Installment
The second book in the Cat Kid Comic Club series is titled Cat Kid Comic Club: Perspectives [1]. It was published on January 4, 2022 by Scholastic. The book was written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey, the author of the popular Dog Man series.
Cat Kid Comic Club: Perspectives follows the same characters from the first book, including Flippy, Molly, Li’l Petey, Melvin, and twenty-one baby frogs. In this installment, the Cat Kid Comic Club members “each have something to say.” The book’s description on Amazon explains that the graphic novel includes “flippers, space cats, Evil Emperor Pigs, romance novels, and much more” as the kids create new comics together [2].
Like the first book, Cat Kid Comic Club: Perspectives teaches kids about creativity, art, and storytelling through the endeavors of the Cat Kid Comic Club members. It encourages readers to find their own voices and perspectives through artistic expression.
Upcoming Third Book
The third installment in the Cat Kid Comic Club series is scheduled to be published in 2023 by Scholastic. Titled Influencers, this new graphic novel will continue the adventures of Li’l Petey, Flippy, and Molly as they create comics together.
According to the Amazon listing, Influencers will follow the Cat Kid Comic Club members as they face a crisis that threatens the future of their club. The official description teases that Li’l Petey’s big dreams might push the club in an unexpected new direction.
Fans can expect Dav Pilkey’s signature humor and illustrations in this next Cat Kid Comic Club book. As the third installment in the series, Influencers will likely build on the characters and storylines from the previous two graphic novels.
While an exact release date in 2023 has not been announced yet, the cover art and title for Influencers have been revealed. Fans are eager to get their hands on the latest Cat Kid Comic Club adventure from the bestselling author of Dog Man in 2023.
Additional Books Planned
Even though there are already five books in the Cat Kid Comic Club series, more are on the way. According to the Scholastic website, Dav Pilkey plans to release additional installments in the future. The series has proven incredibly popular, with the first book spending over 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Given the demand from fans, Pilkey is sure to continue the adventures of Li’l Petey, Flippy, and the rest of the Cat Kid Comic Club characters.
Though no specific details have been announced yet regarding the next book in the series, Pilkey has implied in interviews that he has plenty more stories to tell. Fans can likely expect new Cat Kid Comic Club books to come out annually or biannually, as Pilkey continues the series for years to come.
Critical Reception
The Cat Kid Comic Club series has received positive reviews since the first book was published in 2020. Common Sense Media gave Cat Kid Comic Club, Book 1 a highly favorable review, calling it “a quick read with enough advanced vocabulary words sprinkled in to offer a challenge, and the illustrations are fast, colorful, and fun.”
On Goodreads, Cat Kid Comic Club has an average rating of 4.41 out of 5 stars based on over 5,000 user ratings. Reviews praise the creativity of the story, the vibrant illustrations, and the positive messages about art, creativity, and friendship. As one Goodreads reviewer wrote, “‘Cat Kid Comic Club’ is a pioneering new graphic novel series by Dav Pilkey, the author and illustrator of the internationally bestselling ‘Dog Man’ and ‘Captain Underpants’ series.”
Early reviews on Amazon have also been positive. One customer wrote, “Once again, Dav Pilkey does not disappoint in Cat Kid Comic Club. On one level it’s the story of Cat Kid’s determination to teach young frogs how to draw comic books. On another, it’s a story about working together, developing self-confidence, and mentoring.”
Popularity and Sales
The Cat Kid Comic Club series has proven to be immensely popular with young readers. According to Publishers Weekly, the original Cat Kid Comic Club book was the #2 bestselling children’s book of 2022, showing the huge appeal of Dav Pilkey’s work. The second installment, Cat Kid Comic Club: Perspectives, continued the popularity with its June 2022 release. While specific sales figures are not available, the books have clearly sold in the millions based on bestseller rankings alone.
Industry experts described Cat Kid Comic Club as having “crowd appeal” and being a top performer in the children’s graphic novel category. The quick release of a third volume also indicates the high demand from young readers. According to Bleeding Cool, the first book sold over 1 million copies, cementing it as a breakout hit. With more books planned, the series looks poised for continued popularity as Pilkey’s lovable characters and humor attract fans old and new.
Significance and Impact
The Cat Kid Comic Club series has had a significant cultural influence and carved out an important place in children’s literature. According to this source, the genius of the Cat Kid Comic Club books is that they not only tell an entertaining story, but also teach children how to create their own comics through the antics of the characters. By using comics as a creative medium, the series makes reading and writing more accessible and fun for kids.
Critics have praised the imaginative storytelling and humor of the series. As noted in this review, the books bring laughter and joy to young readers. The quirky characters and their adventures have struck a chord with children worldwide.
Due to their popularity and kid-friendly focus on creativity, the Cat Kid Comic Club books have become culturally influential, inspiring children to make their own comics. The series has shown the power of integrating visual storytelling and engaging characters to get kids excited about reading and writing.
Total Number of Books
As of now, there are two Cat Kid Comic Club books that have been published, with a third installment set to release in 2023. The first book, simply titled Cat Kid Comic Club, was published in 2020. The second book, Cat Kid Comic Club: Perspectives, was published in 2021.
The upcoming third installment is titled Cat Kid Comic Club: On Purpose and is slated for release in January 2023 (Source). Author Dav Pilkey has plans for at least two more books in the series after the third release, for a total of five Cat Kid Comic Club books (Source).
So in summary, there are currently two published Cat Kid Comic Club books, with the third releasing in 2023, and plans for at least two more installments after that. This brings the total number of books either published or planned to five.
