Cat Kid Comic Club: On Purpose
Bibliography
Pilkey, Dav. 2022. CAT KID COMIC CLUB: ON PURPOSE. Ill. by Dav Pilkey. New York, NY: Graphix: an imprint of Scholastic. ISBN 9781338801941
Plot Summary
The comic club is now in full swing, and the baby frog members of the club are trying their hand at writing their own comic books. But when one of the members, Naomi, has her book rejected by a big time publisher, the frogs must learn what it means to make art that they enjoy and not care about what others feel. Their relationships grow and they learn how to follow their own paths. Filled with many different art styles from expert illustrator and writer, Dav Pilkey, this Cat Kid Comic Club adventure is filled with laughter, joy, and believing in yourself.
Critical Analysis
Dav Pilkey continues his Cat Kid Comic Club series with the third installment subtitled On Purpose. This is a sequel and while you don't necessarily have to read the first two to understand what is going on in the third, it would be best to so that you are a little familiar with the characters and what went on before.
In this book, the comic club is continuing and one of the frog children, Naomi, has had her book rejected by a big time publisher. This causes her to leave the comic club. Some of her other siblings also submit their comics with similar outcomes. The characters in this book, mainly the frog children, are drawn adorably and have some funny dialogue. They can be relatable when they are expanded on, which is only a select few. They all seem to have different personalities and are very supportive of each other, which is something kids can recognize and learn from.
The theme of this book can be difficult to see, but the idea that we all have a purpose in life and that we should love ourselves and what we create, even if others don't, is one that children can learn from, and even some adults. The setting should be familiar to fans of the Cat Kid and Dog Man books, and this book will greatly appeal more to those that have already immersed themselves in this universe.
Dav Pilkey's illustrations have become greatly recognizable and are highlights to his books, but the illustrations in this book go above and beyond. Different sets of frog children create different types of comic books, so each book's illustrations are different. Pilkey uses different forms of art such as "pencil, watercolors, acrylic paints, markers, colored pencils, crayons, and gouche." The 3D models which he uses for some of the comics are "built out of recycled plastic lods, clay, paper, wood, wire, tape, glue, broken toys, balloons, and other throwaway items." Pilkey's creativity and imagination make his books special and beloved by all.
Review Excerpts
Kirkus Reviews: " Here exploring the concept of purpose, Pilkey lets characters and readers ponder its complexity—with butt jokes keeping the tone light. While its theme is not as clearly developed as the previous volume’s, this episode nevertheless presents the series’ now-trademark winning mix of sibling hijinks and club members’ comics, rendered in a variety of styles."
Publishers Weekly: "Irreverent, laugh-out-loud funny and... downright moving, it's a heartfelt celebration of coming into one's own as an artist, with all its frustrations and joys."
School Library Journal: "Colorful, compelling, and laugh-out-loud funny. Every elementary school library needs this graphic novel."
Connections
Read the rest of the series by Dav Pilkey: Cat Kid Comic Club
Cat Kid Comic Club: Perspectives
Cat Kid Comic Club: Collaborations
Cat Kid Comic Club: Influences
More Series by Dav Pilkey: Captain Underpants Series
Dog Man Series
Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot Series
Activity: Draw and write your own Cat Kid Comic Club mini comic. Work with a partner or a group or on your own.
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