DogMan Fetch-22 Book Review with Discussion Questions
Reviewed by the Hobbit
What’s the Basic Info?
Book: Dog Man Fetch-22
Author and Illustrator: Dav Pilkey
Pages: 237
Published: 2019
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Age Suggestion: 8+
Trigger Warnings: Parent in prison, very mild action. This should be a pretty safe read for anyone 8+.
Summary:
Things seem to finally being going well for Dog Man and all of his friends. But then an accident brings a new super villain to life (actually, 22 of them, plus their leader). Will Dog Man and his friends save the day again? And can they do it with kindness and love?
DogMan Fetch-22 Book Review (SPOILER WARNING!)
Pilkey just keeps outdoing himself. This is going to be a huge hit and it is well deserved. This is the 8th book in the Dog Man series. While it is helpful if you have read the others, it is not necessary, as each book contains a brief summary. There is a lot that happens in this book.
As we start this book, Dog Man, Li’l Petey, Petey, and 80-HD are all doing very well. A kid’s TV character, the Fair Fairy, is fired from her job. She runs into 22 tadpoles who develop psychokinetic powers (and they all now have anger issues). Pete’s dad (Li’l’ Petey’s grandfather) breaks out of jail and decides to join forces with them. It looks like they are going to destroy all of our heroes but…..
Of course the good guys win in the end (Special nod to Zuzu the poodle!). It is how they win, and how they act, throughout the book that is the key. The back cover of the book puts it well. “In this moment it takes courage to stand alone, to do good, and to change the world.” So what does this book address in a meaningful way?
- Issues of fairness (being fair does NOT mean that everything is equal)
- Being kind and loving in a variety of circumstances
- Might does NOT make right
- Doing what is right is more important than going along with the crowd.
And that is for starters. The book adapts quotes from the Bible, Oscar Wilde (a personal favorite), and The Star Thrower. And it has a fun song for the Christmas season….I can see this book being used in college ethics courses – it really is that good.
In short, the book is smart. It really does span a wide age group and is a great book for young readers. There are an incredible number of good points (all of which, while not solely found in a Judeo-Christian philosophy, certainly fit well within it). And the artwork continues to endear itself.
I highly, highly recommend Dog Man Fetch-22
Discussion questions:
I have added notes for items that are potentially not clear
- What are some of the kind things that Li’l Petey did? How did they impact the other characters in the story?
- What did Molly do and why did it take so much courage? Have you ever had to stand up to your friends?
- Just like the tadpoles and Flippy, sometimes people do things because of things inside their head. Have you ever felt like the tadpoles and Flippy? (note here – this is a great opportunity to talk about a number of issues dealing with brain chemistry, all the way from ADHD, depression, to emotions and growth spurts)
- Just like Li’l Petey says, we can’t save the world – but we CAN make a difference in the lives of the people immediately around us. Who has God placed in your life for you to have an impact on?
Favorite quotes: From Li’l Petey (who really gets some of the best ones in every book)
“Some people are hard to love. That just means ya gotta try harder!!”
A personal favorite for the Hobbit from Petey to Li’l Petey:
“You’ve got two families who love you. And there are some kittens out there who don’t even have one family”
You Can Get the Book…
Here! You can also find the first three books of the series here!
What to Check Out Next:
If you enjoyed our Catch-22 review, check out some of our other graphic novel reviews below!
—DogMan: For Whom the Ball Rolls
–Alls Faire in Middle School
–Awkward
–Space Boy Vol. 1 and Space Boy Vol. 2
–Cardboard
–Gear
What was your favorite part of the book?! If you found this review helpful, please take a second and share it on social media!
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