Dog Man: 20,000 Fleas Under the Sea Review written by the Hobbit. This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Know Before You Read
Book: Dog Man: 20,000 Fleas Under the Sea
Author and Illustrator: Dav Pilkey
Publication Date: March 28th, 2023
Genres: Graphic Novel; humor; adventure
Major Themes: Caring for others; Friendship
Warnings: Dog Man books are pretty kid-friendly in general. This one really has nothing other than mild comic-book violence.
Pages: 240
Reading Age: 7 and up (suitable to read to 4+)
Extras: As is usual, a couple of pages on how to draw some of the characters
Brief Summary
Dog Man is back! Dog Man and his cast of friends from prior books return in another laugh-aloud adventure that is also educational and uplifting. The FLEAS have broken out of prison and Piggy is determined to amass money and power. It is time for Dog Man to come to the rescue!
Dog Man: 20,000 Fleas Under the Sea Review
(Contains spoilers)
As is usual in Dog Man books, we have several threads as we begin the story. Dog Man accompanies Chief on his first date with Nurse Lady. Of course, things go wrong but it all turns out well. Meanwhile, Petey wants to rebuild his lab, with the help of Lil’ Petey and 80-HD. He finds that no one is willing to help him because he is an ex-convict. And, speaking of convicts, the FLEAS (Fuzzy Little Evil Animal Squad) are in Mini Jail. Piggy is plotting to escape and is frustrated that his prior henchmen, Crunky and Bub, are not solely concentrated on what he wants.
Of course, the FLEAS escape. And with a flying submarine that expands and shrinks, Piggy is set to take out our heroes. With the usual zany action, our heroes (including Molly the baby frog, Sarah Hatoff and Zuzu, and Uncle Larry – who invented the submarine) work to save themselves and save the day.
The artwork is the usual Dog Man style. Pilkey lists a Japanese artist as his inspiration for the flying submarine, who was inspired by the classic Disney Nautilus designed by Harper Goff. For those who love the classic Disney film, this is a fun touch. The book zeroes in on caring for others through two major plot elements. Piggy is self-absorbed and has no care for the concerns of his friends. Petey is rejected as an ex-convict when he seeks help rebuilding his lab until his friends chip in. How you treat others, your friends in particular, is important. Social media and the use of fear and anger for manipulation are also mentioned in the story (see discussion).
Favorite Dog Man: 20,000 Fleas Under the Sea Quotes
“It’s like the seas, Petey. You can just dip your toes in… or you can fathom the soundless depths.”
“You can do the bare minimum…and slide through life…or you can give more…give what you don’t get…love more…”
–Dog Man: 20,000 Fleas Under the Sea Quotes
Continue reading for the rest of our Dog Man: 20,000 Fleas Under the Sea Review
Dog Man: 20,000 Fleas Under the Sea Discussion Questions
- Li’l Petey says to his dad, “That’s why we’re here, papa…to help each other.” What are ways you can help other people?
- The FLEAS and the Friendly Friends have the same members. How are they different?
- Piggy says, “They’re so selfish! All they care about is helping others!” Why is Piggy so wrong about this?
- The media boss says. “Nobody cares about the truth! It’s all about the clicks!!!” How does this reflect social media today?
- Piggy uses people being scared and angry to help him do bad things. Have you seen anyone trying to do this?
Thanks for reading our Dog Man: 20,000 Fleas Under the Sea Review. For further reading, check out our other reviews:
–All of our Dog Man posts:
–Grime and Punishment
–Brawl of the Wild
–Lord of the Fleas
–Fetch 22
–For Whom the Ball Rolls
We also have a review of the Disney film version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and other classic movies
For a modern continuation of the classic Verne story, see our review of Rick Riordan’s Daughter of the Deep
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