Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets by Dav Pilkey, Dav Pilkey (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

George and Harold are up to their usual tricks. Last time they hypnotized Principal Krupp into believing he was Captain Underpants. Now, by mistake, they bring to life the most disgusting, life-threatening monster -- the terrible Turbo Toilet 2000. Can anyone save the school from the terrifying attack of the Talking Toilets? Watch out world, big briefs are back!

Publishers Weekly

In this worthy sequel to The Adventures of Captain Underpants, Pilkey maintains the original's satiric, self-referential formula as he revisits fourth-grade pranksters Harold and George, along with their school principal and principle nemesis, Mr. Krupp (aka superhero Captain Underpants). Trouble begins when Harold and George sabotage a science fair and are punished with "The Invention Convention Detention." Bored, the boys collaborate on a comic book about Talking Toilets. To their surprise, the Toilets come to life and Mr. Krupp's alter ego is called into service. Worst of all, even the brave Captain Underpants may be no match for the Toilets' leader, "nearly a ton of twisting steel and raging porcelain" known as the TT 2000. Pilkey illustrates in uncomplicated black-and-white line drawings with washes of gray, and offers "Flip-O-RamaTM," which requires turning a page back and forth for low-low-budget animation ("Don't forget to add your own sound-effects!"). He promises "extremely graphic violence" in scenes of "a giant toilet getting its shiny hiney kicked," ridicules teachers named "Ms. Ribble" and "Miss Anthrope" and decides that the story just wouldn't be complete without "upchucking." Bart Simpson could learn a few things from the subversively hilarious Harold and George, who consider inventing a robot urinal ("The Urinator"), then decide, "They'll never let us get away with that in a children's book. We're skating on thin ice as it is!" Ages 7-10. (Feb.)

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6This epic novel opens with an introductory cartoon strip that tells the top-secret truth about how two kids, George and Harold, used the 3-D Hypno-Ring to hypnotize their principal, who now becomes Captain Underpants whenever he hears fingers snaping. In this second adventure, the boys are banned from attending the annual Invention Convention and sent to detention to keep them out of trouble. This, of course, is impossible, so they sneak into the school that evening and tamper with all of the inventions to wreak havoc. They also make copies of their newest comic strip of vicious attack toilets and the daddy monster of them allTurbo Toilet 2000. The copy machine is an invention that duplicates into live matter all images it copies and the attack toilets come to life. The wild story actually comes to a logical conclusion, but it really doesnt matter. The fun is in the reading, which is full of puns, rhymes, and nonsense along with enough revenge and wish fulfillment for every downtrodden fun-seeking kid who never wanted to read a book. The cartoon drawings and the amazing flip-o-rama pages make this book so appealing that youngsters wont notice that their vocabulary is stretching. Hooray for Captain Underpants! Watch him fly off your shelves.Marlene Gawron, Orange County Library, Orlando, FL Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Product Details

• Table of Contents
• Interviews & Essays

Table of Contents

Interviews & Essays

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)