A new "Captain Underpants" book coming this summer
Excuse me a moment while I shout something that will make me the most popular person in the nation鈥檚 elementary schools: DAV PILKEY HAS A NEW "CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS" BOOK COMING OUT THIS SUMMER.
Thanks, I鈥檓 back.
Technically, the book is 鈥�,鈥� but it totally counts in the universe of "Captain Underpants." You know "Captain Underpants," those funny, goofy, slightly potty-humored 鈥渆pic novels鈥� that have led more boys to love reading than any other book series I can think of this side of Harry Potter.
I didn鈥檛 actually set out to get that tidbit of fun-o-rama news when I talked with Tracy van Straaten of Scholastic books, vice president for publicity. I was calling because of the notice my 8-year-old son saw a few months ago in the back of his used copy of "Captain Underpants and the Invasion of the Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies from Outer Space (and the Subsequent Assault of the Equally Evil Lunchroom Zombie Nerds).鈥�
(If you鈥檙e not already familiar with the series, the title alone tells you a lot.)
On page 33, the reader is instructed to shake the book uncontrollably while shouting the word 鈥淜A-BLOOOOOSH!鈥� as loud as possible. 鈥淒on鈥檛 worry, you won鈥檛 get in trouble,鈥� it said. Oh, really?
On the book鈥檚 last page, there鈥檚 a note:
鈥淚f you got in trouble for shouting 鈥�Ka-BLOOOOOSH!鈥� please send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: 鈥淚 got in trouble for shouting KA-BLOOOOOSH!鈥� c/o Scholastic Inc., P.O. Box 711, New York NY 10013-0711. We鈥檒l send you something fun!鈥�
Of course, my son wanted to respond. But the book had originally been released in 1999. I assured him he had no better chance of getting a response than if he replied to an ad for secret decoder rings from a 1940s comic book. C鈥檓on, it鈥檚 been years since I even heard the words 鈥渟elf-addressed stamped envelope.鈥�
He sent it off anyway, and waited. And waited, and waited. And one day in the mailbox, probably two months later, an envelope arrived. It was 鈥淎 Newsletter For People Who Got in Trouble For Shouting Ka-BLOOOOOSH,鈥� four pages of activities and fun. I鈥檝e never seen that kid so excited over a piece of mail.
There are giveaway notices in five of the "Underpants" books, van Straaten said. (There are technically 11 books, counting the first 鈥淪uper Diaper-Baby,鈥� two activity books, and 鈥溾��) The giveaway鈥檚 been active since 1998. At its peak, Scholastic got 1,500 to 2,000 requests per week, van Straaten said.
Though our copy of the book was used, the offer does remain in current editions. Why? Well, why not? 鈥淭he kids still are really interested, and I think kids love getting something from an author,鈥� van Straaten said.
There鈥檚 no end to the giveaway in sight, she said, though at some point it will most likely move online.
Then, because I knew my son would never forgive me if I missed the opportunity, I asked that question about when "Super Diaper Baby #2" might be coming. It was advertised on the last page of the first "Super Diaper Baby" book, back in 2002, with the announcement 鈥淐oming Soon!鈥� My boy loyally checks the shelves for it every time we visit a bookstore, holding tough even after one bookseller told him that she personally knew, from a firsthand talk with Pilkey, that the writer would never, ever finish it.
What took so long?
鈥淗e wrote 'Ook and Gluk' in the middle. I think he changes it up. I don鈥檛 have an answer for that鈥︹�� van Stratten said. 鈥淗e does go back and forth between his series. We鈥檙e just happy that it鈥檚 coming.鈥�
So鈥檚 my boy. And we haven鈥檛 even been waiting that long. Check out this from two months ago, asking when the book might appear. 鈥淚 wanted this book for my 7th birthday and it's been 7 years since then,鈥� the poster wrote.
I鈥檓 tempted to post a note telling him his wait is over. Or maybe I鈥檒l just give him a big, enthusiastic 鈥淜A-BLOOOOOSH!鈥�
Rebekah Denn blogs at .
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