THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS
By Dav Pilkey
Blue Sky Press, 1997
The American Library Association has named September 23-30 Banned Book Week, and I am celebrating it here on my blog. I couldn’t help but use this opportunity to talk to the kids in my life about books, intellectual freedom and censorship. To prove to me he gets it, my son, aged eight, nominated one of his favorite banned books, Dav Pilkey’s THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS, as our kick-off book. He also submitted these comments:
“I don’t think the wonderful Captain Underpants series should be banned from any libraries, schools or stores. All it is is a funny series of books with tons of potty talk. Why these places ban them is one big mystery to me.
I think potty talk is funny. How about you? For example, Chapter Sixteen of THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS is called “The Extremely Graphic Violence Chapter” and it starts with this warning:
“The following chapter contains graphic scenes showing two boys beating the tar out of a couple of robots. If you have high blood pressure, or if you faint at the sight of motor oil, we strongly urge you to take better care of yourself and stop being such a baby.”
Now that’s funny.
If you know a eight-year-old kid please buy them this book. And have a happy Banned Books Week.”
Gosh I love that boy!