The Adventures of Captain Underpants [NOOK Book]

Overview

The first book in Dav Pilkey's mega-bestselling Captain Underpants series.

George and Harold have created the greatest superhero in the history of their elementary school--and now they're going to bring him to life! Meet Captain Underpants! His true identity is so secret, even HE doesn't know who he is!
Acclaimed author and Caldecott Honor illustrator Dav Pilkey provides young readers with the adventure of a ...
See more details below
The Adventures of Captain Underpants

Available on NOOK devices and apps  
  • Nook Devices
  • NOOK HD/HD+ Tablet
  • NOOK Color
  • NOOK Tablet
  • Tablet/Phone
  • NOOK for Windows 8 Tablet
  • NOOK for iOS
  • NOOK for Android
  • PC/Mac
  • NOOK for Windows 8

Want a NOOK? Explore Now

NOOK Book (eBook)    
NOOK Comics presents exciting graphic novel material in stunning detail, allowing you to read in either portrait or landscape mode as well as pinch & zoom to dive into the tiniest details of your favorite comics.
$4.79
BN.com price
(Save 20%)$5.99 List Price
Note: The title requires NOOK Tablet or NOOK Color with software version 1.4.3. Click here for instructions on installing 1.4.3.

Overview

The first book in Dav Pilkey's mega-bestselling Captain Underpants series.

George and Harold have created the greatest superhero in the history of their elementary school--and now they're going to bring him to life! Meet Captain Underpants! His true identity is so secret, even HE doesn't know who he is!
Acclaimed author and Caldecott Honor illustrator Dav Pilkey provides young readers with the adventure of a lifetime in this outrageously funny, action-packed, easy-to-read chapter book. With hilarious pictures on every page, THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS is great for both beginning and chapter-book readers. And like Dav's other best-selling books of humor, it is sure to provide even the most reluctant readers with hours of fun.

When George and Harold hypnotize their principal into thinking that he is the superhero Captain Underpants, he leads them to the lair of the nefarious Dr. Diaper, where they must defeat his evil robot henchmen.

Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
Few things command disrespect like the sight of a man wearing whitie-tighties. However, the bald and barefoot Captain Underpants happens to be a superhero. As one character notes, "Most superheroes look like they're flying around in their underwear....Well, this guy actually is flying around in his underwear!" The Captain, defender of "Truth, Justice, and all that is Pre-Shrunk and Cottony," is the comic-book invention of two troublemaking fourth-graders, George and Harold. He comes to life after the boys use a mail-order device to hypnotize their diabolical school principal, who sheds his outergarments and battles crime in only a cape and Y-fronts. As his creators try to snap him out of the trance, Captain Underpants threatens bank robbers with "Wedgie Power" and foils the villainous Dr. Diaper (" `You know,' said George, `up until now this story was almost believable' "). Pilkey (Dog Breath) uses a sitcom-like formula to set up the rivalry between the boys and the principal, and to strip the authority figure of dignity. After a tepid exposition, he falls back on the notion that undies and mild bathroom humor are funny in themselves and, given his intended audience, he's probably right. Line drawings of the slapstick action appear on every page, and "Flip-O-Rama" climactic sequences create an agreeably corny "motion-picture" effect. But the lowbrow jokes (the Captain uses an elastic waistband to apprehend an evildoer) chiefly constitute this tale's harmless, non-gross appeal. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)
Children's Literature - Karen Moroughan
Here's a chapter book filled with Dav Pilkey's offbeat humor. In a video for Scholastic, Pilkey admits that he invented the book's main heroic character in the second grade, where just the suggestion of bathroom humor was enough to send kids rollicking. So just who is Captain Underpants? The school principal, of course, so cleverly disguised that he himself doesn't know he's the good guy. The adventurous captain is duped into the role with the aid of a hypno-ring mail-ordered by two unruly boys. Pilkey's illustrations include a "flip-o-rama" chapter, which allows children to see movement and action cartoon-style.

Gr 2-4--Pilkey plays with words and pictures, providing great entertainment. The story is immediately engaging--two fourth-grade boys who write comic books and who love to pull pranks find themselves in big trouble. Mean Mr. Krupp, their principal, videotapes George and Harold setting up their stunts and threatens to expose them. The boys' luck changes when they send for a 3-D Hypno-Ring and hypnotize Krupp, turning him into Captain Underpants, their own superhero creation. Later, Pilkey includes several pages of flip-o-ramas that animate the action. The simple black-and-white illustrations on every page furnish comic-strip appeal. The cover features Captain Underpants, resplendent in white briefs, on top of a tall building. This book will fly off the shelves.--Mary M. Hopf, Los Angeles Public Library

In the fine old tradition of James Marshall's Cut-Ups, Pilkey (God Bless the Gargoyles, 1996, etc.) introduces George Beard and Harold Hutchins, two usually responsible fourth-graders, as in "whenever anything bad happened, George and Harold were usually responsible."

Pranksters of the first order, George and Harold are finally nabbed by Mr. Krupp, the principal, whom they then hypnotize into believing he's Captain Underpants, a superhero of their own creation. Before they can stop him, he's out the window in cape and briefs, off to fight crime with Wedgie Power, taking on bank robbers, robot thieves—" `You know,' said George, `up until now this story was almost believable!' "—and ultimately the evil Dr. Diaper. Distracting Dr. Diaper with some "fake doggy doo- doo," the boys save the planet, then hustle Krupp back into his clothes, just in time for—their next adventure, The Attack of the Talking Toilets, coming soon. Pilkey's stubby black-and-white cartoon figures appear on every page but can be animated in one chapter, thanks to "Flip-O-Rama," where readers flip pages back and forth for the "latest in cheesy animation technology." There'll be no silence in the library once readers get hold of this somewhat classier alternative to Barf-o-Rama books and their crude ilk.

Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780545628044
  • Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
  • Publication date: 4/30/2013
  • Series: Captain Underpants Series , #1
  • Sold by: Barnes & Noble
  • Format: eBook
  • Pages: 128
  • Sales rank: 56231
  • File size: 41 MB
  • Note: This product may take a few minutes to download.

Meet the Author

Dav Pilkey
Dav Pilkey has written and illustrated numerous popular, award-winning books for children, including the Captain Underpants and Dumb Bunnies series; DOG BREATH, winner of the California Young Reader Medal; and THE PAPERBOY, a Caldecott Honor Book. He lives with his wife in the Pacific Northwest. Visit him online at www.pilkey.com.
Read More Show Less

Table of Contents

1. George and Harold 1
2. Tree House Comix, Inc. 5
3. The Adventures of Captain Underpants 9
4. Mean Old Mr. Krupp 17
5. One Day Very, Very Soon 21
6. Busted 29
7. A Little Blackmail 35
8. Crime and Punishment 39
9. Four-to-Six Weeks Later 45
10. The 3-D Hypno-Ring 47
11. Fun with Hypnosis 51
12. Out the Window 57
13. Bank Robbers 61
14. The Big Bang 67
15. Dr. Diaper 73
16. The Extremely Graphic Violence Chapter (in Flip-O-Rama) 79
17. The Escape 99
18. To Make a Long Story Short 107
19. Back to School 108
20. The End? 117
Read More Show Less

Interviews & Essays

An Interview with Captain Underpants

Barnes & Noble.com: Did you always want to be a superhero -- or did you just "fall into" this job?

Captain Underpants: I've fallen into a lot of things in my life, but this job was not one of them. I was born to wear underwear and fight crime!

B&N.com: Did you have to undergo any special training to be a superhero?

CU: All you need to be a superhero is a heart that is pure, a mind that is strong, and underwear that is fresh!

B&N.com: You're always smiling! Don't you ever get irritated at George and Harold for causing so much trouble?

CU: No, those two boys have been a real help to me. I think every superhero needs a good sidekick. You know, Batman has Robin, Superboy has that flying dog thingy with the cape, and I have George and Harold. The only thing is that "George" and "Harold" don't sound like good names for superhero sidekicks. I've tried to talk them into "Fleegle" and "Buttercup," but, well, they're stuck in their ways, I guess.

B&N.com: How has all the publicity you've received from starring in Dav Pilkey's books changed your life?

CU: Well, I get recognized all the time. In the old days, when people saw me coming they often ignored me (or screamed). Now, they know my name and ask for autographs. They've always got requests, too, like, "Will you give my husband a wedgie?" It's great fun!

B&N.com: Do you have any dreams of starring in movies like some of your fellow superheroes have?

CU: Maybe.... I'm not sure who could play my part, though. Obviously, Leonardo DiCaprio is the first actor to come to mind (the physical resemblance astounds even me!), but I'm not sure he'd be up to the stunt work.

B&N.com: Who's your favorite superhero?

CU: Me! If I've learned anything from Whitney Houston, it's that "learning to love yourself is the greatest..." uh, something something something....

B&N.com: What do you like to do in your spare time (when you're not fighting crime)?

CU: A crime fighter's job is never finished! But on my breaks, I enjoy swimming and bowling (often at the same time, which really annoys the guys down at the bowling alley).

B&N.com: Don't you get cold running around in just your underwear?

CU: Nope. Wedgie Power keeps me warm!

B&N.com: Do you have any advice for kids who would like to join in your fight for "Truth, Justice, and all that is Pre-Shrunk and Cottony"?

CU: Yes. See my answer to your second question.

B&N.com: Well, thank you, Captain Underpants. I know you have plenty of bad guys to catch and millions of other things to do, so I'll keep this brief...er...short, and just say that it's been a pleasure meeting you -- and that you're an inspiration to everybody who wears underpants! (Jamie Levine)

Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 68 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(47)

4 Star

(16)

3 Star

(4)

2 Star

(1)

1 Star

(0)
See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 68 Customer Reviews
  • Anonymous

    Posted Wed Dec 29 00:00:00 EST 1999

    A 5+ Star Book!

    I have a friend in S.I. and she had to read for half an hour,so I asked her if she had a spare book for me.She gave me this book and told me to read it.I agreed.I laughed so much and so loud she actually told me to lower it or stop reading.This is a really good book to get kids who don't like to read to start reading.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Tue Oct 08 00:00:00 EDT 2002

    This book is a awsome story.

    I would recomend this story to people. This book is about two kids that get a ring and the play with it. They make their pricipal turn into a superhero. He is a fake one. This superhero fights crime and protects the town from all evil villans. This book will make you feel better inside because it is funny, fiction, and a good book. Younger kids should read this when they get 6-10.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Tue May 27 00:00:00 EDT 2008

    haha i cant stop laughing what a funny book

    The Adventures of Caption Underpants by Dave Pilkey is one of my favorite books. It¿s collectable. It is about when these two kid¿s named George and Arnold hypnotized there Principal Mr. Krupp with something you will never know. George and Arnold turn there principal into the person that¿s so funny that I can¿t tell you. Can you collect the book there¿s a flip-o-rama .You should find out what they do to there principal. The Adventures of Caption under Pants is a great book. It¿s a great book because it has good illustrations it¿s just a great book. You should read it because its funny it¿s wacky they say they give it two thumbs up. I¿ll give it my hands it¿s a very good book I really recommend it that you should read it.

    1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Tue Jan 22 00:00:00 EST 2008

    This book is great for children from 4 - 13

    This book is funny and it has Action, Thrills and Laffs

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Tue Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2006

    I can't believe my son is reading!

    My son loves to be read to, but just didn't like reading by himself. I purchased Captain Underpants because of the funny cover hoping it would get my son interested. I could never have imagined what would happen! He read the 1st book in 2 days and by the 4th week of vacation he had read all of the first 5 books! I can't wait to get him back to B&N so he can get the next couple of books! I would highly urge you to buy these books for your kids. They are great!!!

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Thu Sep 25 00:00:00 EDT 2003

    Good for all ages!

    I really enjoyed the Adventures of Captain Underpants series and felt that it was good entertainment for all ages. It was my younger brother's copy that I first picked up and I didn't first read it until I was 19. Since then I have enjoyed them and the return to a youthful immaturity that lies within us all!

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Wed Aug 13 00:00:00 EDT 2003

    woww!!!!!!!

    any one who gets this book will love this outstanding story i'll recommend this book as the best book of the first series it roccks!!!!!!!

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Sat Feb 16 00:00:00 EST 2002

    Funny Book

    This book is fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Wed Aug 29 00:00:00 EDT 2001

    CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS IS THE BEST

    i am 16 years old, and i picked up my little brother's Captain Underpants book one day, and it was awesome! i usually read more 'adulty' things i guess you could say, but i really wish Captain Underpants was around when i was a kid. Today i told my friends all about him and now they want to go read them too.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Sep 07 00:00:00 EDT 2001

    If there are boys in your house you must get this book

    My 7 year old son and I havent enjoyed a book this much in a long time! We cant wait to read all the others!

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Thu Jul 05 00:00:00 EDT 2001

    A creative work of art!

    I must say after my first reading, I was a little less than thrilled about this book. However, after changing my adult perspective to one of the age range for which this book was written, I have a different opinion. I think that George and Harold's fascination with creativity could inspire readers to tap into their creative side and also teach children to use their idle time more effectively. I also enjoyed the parallel between Dr. Diapers and the character Dr. Evil in the popular Austin Powers movies. The only major thing worth mentioning in regards to what the book may be lacking is the absence of parental figures.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Wed Mar 07 00:00:00 EST 2001

    This is an excellent book

    This book is great fun, it is easy to read, well paced, action packed and really relates to the audience it is meant for. I would say that this book is singularly the reason why my son is so advanced at reading now. The book spurred him on to read all the other titles in the series. Before this book he was an average reader for his age (7) but now he is reading books way above his age range. I am also training to be a teacher and have read it at story time to my 8/9 year olds who loved every moment of it.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Tue Dec 12 00:00:00 EST 2000

    Captain Underpants

    IT IS THE BEST!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Thu Jun 22 00:00:00 EDT 2000

    Not just for kids

    I have heard that the 'language' in the Captain Underpants series of books is not suitable for children--hogwosh! These books are the best I have read in a long time. They are silly and incredibly enjoyable. My 6 year old has read the whole series and is anxiously awaiting the next edition. I enjoyed reading them as much as he enjoyed listening to them. Keep up the great work, Dav!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Sun May 28 00:00:00 EDT 2000

    UNDERPANTS *****

    CAPTIN UNDERPANTS IS GOOD FOR ALL AGES AND IM A GIRL AGE 11.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Tue Feb 22 00:00:00 EST 2000

    Love at First Laugh

    My 7-year-old son and I read this book together and laughed the night away. He wanted to read it all in one night! My son's birthday wish list contains only Pilkey's books!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Sun Jan 23 00:00:00 EST 2000

    GREAT!!!!!

    if you like silly storys you'll definetly love captain underpants.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Sun Jan 16 00:00:00 EST 2000

    Great Book For Children

    I have a couple of friends in the third grade and this book is great for them. It's easy to read and is (laff) out loud funny. I recommend this book not only to children, but to adults also.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted Thu Dec 09 00:00:00 EST 1999

    Best book ever!!!!!!!!!

    This book is the funniest childerens book I have ever read. I like the part with the fake dog doo doo!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Posted Wed Oct 03 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    more from this reviewer

    A fun super silly super hero adventure

    George and Harold are two fourth graders who enjoy pulling silly pranks at their local elementary school. Everything from putting bubbles into the bands instruments to sprinkling pepper into the cheerleaders pom-poms. But when their angry principal, Mr. Krupp catches them on video, after their biggest prank of the year, they are blackmailed into punishment.
    Desperate to be free, and return to their hobby of writing and illustrating their comics that they sell to their class mates, they send away for a 3-D Hypno-Ring, hoping to use it to retrieve the video that landed them in this situation in the first place. But trouble starts when and Harold and George hypnotize their principal into thinking that he is their self-created comic book superhero Captain Underpants, the defender of "Truth, Justice, and all that is Pre-Shrunk and Cottony".
    George and Harold must follow Mr. Krupp who now thinks he is Captain Underpants, in his tighty whities and red cape into the lair of the evil Dr. Diaper, a villain who wants to take over the world. Along the way they must defeat his evil robot companions, change Mr. Krupp to his former self, return to school, and save the world.
    The Adventures of Captain Underpants, is filled with silly illustrations on every page and even features “the world famous cheesy animation technique” flip-o-rama, which allows the readers to animate the action in the story. With a humorous action packed story line, fantastic characters, and an interactive design, Pilkey has created a masterpiece that will provide beginning, chapter-book, and even reluctant readers hours of fun.
    Recommended for readers age 7 and up.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 68 Customer Reviews

If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Why is this product inappropriate?
Comments (optional)