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Dog Man #7
Super Chien : N° 7 - Pour qui volent ces balles
See below for English description.
Les Super Copains font leur possible pour que Super Chien surmonte ses mauvaises habitudes. Mais quand ses obsessions se transforment en phobies, Super Chien devient la cible d'un nouveau super méchant!
Entre-temps, Pistache a été libéré de prison et commence une nouvelle vie avec Petit Pistache. Toutefois, quand le père de Pistache débarque à l'improviste, ce dernier doit affronter son passé pour comprendre la différence entre être bon et faire le bien.
The Supa Buddies have been working hard to help Super Chien overcome his bad habits. But when his obsessions turn to fears, Super Chien finds himself the target of an all-new supervillain!
Meanwhile, Pistache has been released from jail and starts a new life with Petit Pistache. But when Pistache's own father arrives, Pistache must face his past to understand the difference between being good and doing good.
Original title:For Whom The Ball Rolls
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 13, 2019
2312 people are currently reading
6361 people want to read
About the author
Dav Pilkey
400 books3,207 followersDavid "Dav" Pilkey (b. March 4, 1966), is a popular children's author and artist. Pilkey is best known as the author and illustrator of the Captain Underpants book series. He lives near Seattle, Washington with his wife, Sayuri.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 577 reviews
December 7, 2022
Dog Man has a problem with distractions -- like balls. His Supa Buddies do some behavioral therapy just before Dr. Scum (remember him from Book 1?) creates an army of Burgle Balls. Will they take over the city while Dog Man hides? Not if Lil' Petey has anything to say about it. Meanwhile, Petey gets a pardon and takes Lil' Petey to live with him. When Lil' Petey finds out he has a grandpa and recruits 80HD to find him. Will Grandpa be a mud guy or a stars guy? (See quote below.) This is yet another clever installment of one of my favorite graphic novel series. George and Harold know how to entertain a reader!
Two men looked through prison bars.
One saw mud. The other, stars. ~ author unknown
Two men looked through prison bars.
One saw mud. The other, stars. ~ author unknown
August 18, 2019
Yes, yes I did. I made my students wait for this book until I had a chance to read it. Because I know after we start passing it from reader to reader I might not see it again until November. And I'm just going to say to the graphic novel haters and those who can't stand the fact that their kids/students read Dog Man books over and over again...read one. Better yet, read the whole series. These books are so good that they are WORTH reading again and again!
Dav Pilkey is a superhero. Who else is writing books for reluctant readers that quote Ernest Hemingway (page 50, panels 2 and 3...see the notes in the back of the book). Who else is creating chapter titles with allusions to great literature? (A Farewell to Arms and The Very Hangry Caterpillar were two of my favorites.) Who else is stretching readers with sentences like this tucked in the midst of sight gags, bad puns, and a superhero whose superpower is eating cupcakes: "As the soft, pink dusk of twilight blankets the city...one vigilant soul heeds the sounds of despair...and bravely responds. Masked in the deep shadows of the surrounding sun...and armed only with an unquenchable appetite...for cupcakes." And who else is making important themes so clear: "It's not enough to just BE GOOD. We gotta DO GOOD." "Love is something you DO! Sometimes you gotta DO it first...THEN you feel it!" "And (to paraphrase one of the plot lines), you can look at the world and see mud and weeds and pollution (and all the other problems) and believe that's all there is, or you can look at the world and find all the love and beauty. "This world has a lot of problems...but it could never be a horrible place...because you're in it."
(Yup. Check out all those tags. The "adhd" tag is kind of a joke. Haven't you noticed the name of the robot? 80-HD? Also, Dog Man undergoes behavior modification therapy in chapter 2 to help him focus. It backfires.)
Dav Pilkey is a superhero. Who else is writing books for reluctant readers that quote Ernest Hemingway (page 50, panels 2 and 3...see the notes in the back of the book). Who else is creating chapter titles with allusions to great literature? (A Farewell to Arms and The Very Hangry Caterpillar were two of my favorites.) Who else is stretching readers with sentences like this tucked in the midst of sight gags, bad puns, and a superhero whose superpower is eating cupcakes: "As the soft, pink dusk of twilight blankets the city...one vigilant soul heeds the sounds of despair...and bravely responds. Masked in the deep shadows of the surrounding sun...and armed only with an unquenchable appetite...for cupcakes." And who else is making important themes so clear: "It's not enough to just BE GOOD. We gotta DO GOOD." "Love is something you DO! Sometimes you gotta DO it first...THEN you feel it!" "And (to paraphrase one of the plot lines), you can look at the world and see mud and weeds and pollution (and all the other problems) and believe that's all there is, or you can look at the world and find all the love and beauty. "This world has a lot of problems...but it could never be a horrible place...because you're in it."
(Yup. Check out all those tags. The "adhd" tag is kind of a joke. Haven't you noticed the name of the robot? 80-HD? Also, Dog Man undergoes behavior modification therapy in chapter 2 to help him focus. It backfires.)
November 9, 2024
بشكل مُبسط وفكاهي تتناول تلك السلسلة العلاقة الغير
تقليدية بين الأب "بيتي القط" والأبن "بيتي الطفل". تلك العلاقة التي تبدأ برفض الأب بيتي القط لمشاعر الأبوة بالأساس، وذلك نتيجة لعقدة قديمة تركها والده في نفسه بعد أن هجره في صغره.
بخفة ظله وذكاؤه وطاقة الحب العفوية البريئة الموجودة بداخله كطفل، يستطيع "بيتي القط الطفل" أن يُحيي مشاعر الأبوة داخل نفس "بيتي القط الأب" الذي يتمكن الحب منه أخيرا تجاه تلك القط الصغير المشاغب.
في خلفية تلك الخط الرئيس للسلسلة، نعيش في صخب الأحداث المجنونة والخليط الهزلي بين أحداث مجموعة من أشهر الأعمال الأدبية والفنية مثل "الدودة شديدة الجوع لإريك كارل" و "خمن من سيأتي للعشاء" وأعمال إرنست همنجواي " العجوز والبحر" و"الشمس تشرق أيضاً" وأخيرا "لمن تدق الأجراس" والتي تحمل أسم تلك الكتاب بعد تحريفه إلى "لمن تتدحرج الكرة".
أيضاً بذكاء وخفة ظل، تتناول القصة بشكل عابر فكرة العقاب كوسيلة لإصلاح السلوك. وذلك من حكاية بطل السلسلة "دوج مان" الكلب الذي يضعف تجاه أي كرة متحركة أو "متدحرجة" مثله مثل أي كلب. ولكن لأنه كلب خارق وليس مثله مثل أي كلب أخر، يرى اصدقاؤه أن يعالجوه باعطاؤه حماماً-والكلاب يكرهون الاستحمام-كعقاب له كلما جرى أو نبح أمام كرة أو قط.
ينجح العلاج في جعله يتوقف عن النبح أو الجري وراء الكرة، ولكنه يخلق مشكلة أو بالأحرى عقدة أخرى، وهى الخوف من الكرات. والتي يجب أن يواجهها عندما يطلق العالم الشرير "دكتور سكم" كرات اليكترونية متوحشة تلتهم كل الأشياء الثمينة في العالم.
كالعادة، يأتي "القط الصغير" لنجدة الكلب الخارق أو دوج مان الخائف من الكرات، ويستطيع اقناعه بإنه قادر على التغلب على خوفه وانقاذ العالم.
انطباعي العام عن تلك القصة هو الاعجاب الشديد بذكاء الكاتب "دايف بيلكي" في عرض أفكار شديدة الجدية بشكل هزلي وكوميدي لا يخل بجدية الفكرة، بل ويضيف عمقاُ شديد اللطف لها.
ولكن كثرة الاحداث الفرعية وتشعبها ادى لتشتتي، وأعيد تساؤلي لمدى قدرة الأطفال في مدرستي الذين لم يتجاوزوا العاشرة على فهم الكثير من الإشارات أو
references
للأعمال الأدبية والفنية التي بالتأكيد لم يسمعوا حتى عنها من قبل، وأيضا هل يستوعبون بالكامل تلك الأفكار التي نوقشت في القصة؟
أرى أنني يجب عليّ أن أستمع بشكل أكبر لانطباعات الأطفال عنها لأرى هل مصدر استمتاعهم بالقصة هو الكوميديا والحركة فقط، أم أن المغزى الحقيقي يصل لهم؟
أردت أن اشارككم بلقطات من نهاية القصة والتي تركت أثراً جميلاً بنفسي، ولكن أبى تلك الموقع اللعين إلا أن يرفض عرض المراجعة.
تقليدية بين الأب "بيتي القط" والأبن "بيتي الطفل". تلك العلاقة التي تبدأ برفض الأب بيتي القط لمشاعر الأبوة بالأساس، وذلك نتيجة لعقدة قديمة تركها والده في نفسه بعد أن هجره في صغره.
بخفة ظله وذكاؤه وطاقة الحب العفوية البريئة الموجودة بداخله كطفل، يستطيع "بيتي القط الطفل" أن يُحيي مشاعر الأبوة داخل نفس "بيتي القط الأب" الذي يتمكن الحب منه أخيرا تجاه تلك القط الصغير المشاغب.
في خلفية تلك الخط الرئيس للسلسلة، نعيش في صخب الأحداث المجنونة والخليط الهزلي بين أحداث مجموعة من أشهر الأعمال الأدبية والفنية مثل "الدودة شديدة الجوع لإريك كارل" و "خمن من سيأتي للعشاء" وأعمال إرنست همنجواي " العجوز والبحر" و"الشمس تشرق أيضاً" وأخيرا "لمن تدق الأجراس" والتي تحمل أسم تلك الكتاب بعد تحريفه إلى "لمن تتدحرج الكرة".
أيضاً بذكاء وخفة ظل، تتناول القصة بشكل عابر فكرة العقاب كوسيلة لإصلاح السلوك. وذلك من حكاية بطل السلسلة "دوج مان" الكلب الذي يضعف تجاه أي كرة متحركة أو "متدحرجة" مثله مثل أي كلب. ولكن لأنه كلب خارق وليس مثله مثل أي كلب أخر، يرى اصدقاؤه أن يعالجوه باعطاؤه حماماً-والكلاب يكرهون الاستحمام-كعقاب له كلما جرى أو نبح أمام كرة أو قط.
ينجح العلاج في جعله يتوقف عن النبح أو الجري وراء الكرة، ولكنه يخلق مشكلة أو بالأحرى عقدة أخرى، وهى الخوف من الكرات. والتي يجب أن يواجهها عندما يطلق العالم الشرير "دكتور سكم" كرات اليكترونية متوحشة تلتهم كل الأشياء الثمينة في العالم.
كالعادة، يأتي "القط الصغير" لنجدة الكلب الخارق أو دوج مان الخائف من الكرات، ويستطيع اقناعه بإنه قادر على التغلب على خوفه وانقاذ العالم.
انطباعي العام عن تلك القصة هو الاعجاب الشديد بذكاء الكاتب "دايف بيلكي" في عرض أفكار شديدة الجدية بشكل هزلي وكوميدي لا يخل بجدية الفكرة، بل ويضيف عمقاُ شديد اللطف لها.
ولكن كثرة الاحداث الفرعية وتشعبها ادى لتشتتي، وأعيد تساؤلي لمدى قدرة الأطفال في مدرستي الذين لم يتجاوزوا العاشرة على فهم الكثير من الإشارات أو
references
للأعمال الأدبية والفنية التي بالتأكيد لم يسمعوا حتى عنها من قبل، وأيضا هل يستوعبون بالكامل تلك الأفكار التي نوقشت في القصة؟
أرى أنني يجب عليّ أن أستمع بشكل أكبر لانطباعات الأطفال عنها لأرى هل مصدر استمتاعهم بالقصة هو الكوميديا والحركة فقط، أم أن المغزى الحقيقي يصل لهم؟
أردت أن اشارككم بلقطات من نهاية القصة والتي تركت أثراً جميلاً بنفسي، ولكن أبى تلك الموقع اللعين إلا أن يرفض عرض المراجعة.
February 3, 2019
MY SON LOVES THESE BOOKS SOOOOO MUCH THAT I ALMOST CRIED 😭😭😭😭😭
August 13, 2019
I really love how Dav Pilkey is capable of hammering the reader over the head with his message and it still doesn't FEEL like he's doing that. I particularly liked the final point that we should do good because it's the right thing to do and not because we want credit. Petey's relationship with his father did a great job of showing that sometimes cutting out toxic family members is the right and healthy thing to do, and it's okay to not want to reconnect with someone who treated you poorly, even if that person is family.
Also, Dog Man is an important series that has far more literary merit than people give it credit for and that's that on that.
Also, Dog Man is an important series that has far more literary merit than people give it credit for and that's that on that.
December 4, 2020
Petey does some good work and he gets pardoned from the cat jail. He comes home and gets Li'l Petey to live with him as he is not in jail anymore. Petey also wants to teach Li'l Petey that world isn't all rainbows, unicorns and lollypops.
Dog man keeps losing the criminals as they play tricks on dog man. Li'l Petey and 80-HD teach Dog man to focus. That's when another evil guy called Dr. Scum rises up and tries to take over the city.
Li'l Petey finds his grandpa because he thinks that may be Petey misses his dad. But the grandpa doesn't turn out to be the best person. Meanwhile, Dr. Scum terrorises the city and the supa buddies and Petey team up to take care of Dr. Scum and his evil robotic army.
I quite liked the addition of the new characters in this and the story was an improvement compared to the last couple of books in the series.
4 stars
Dog man keeps losing the criminals as they play tricks on dog man. Li'l Petey and 80-HD teach Dog man to focus. That's when another evil guy called Dr. Scum rises up and tries to take over the city.
Li'l Petey finds his grandpa because he thinks that may be Petey misses his dad. But the grandpa doesn't turn out to be the best person. Meanwhile, Dr. Scum terrorises the city and the supa buddies and Petey team up to take care of Dr. Scum and his evil robotic army.
I quite liked the addition of the new characters in this and the story was an improvement compared to the last couple of books in the series.
4 stars
January 7, 2021
Best in the series so far, and packed with endless heart. "Love isn't something you
feel
, Grandpa. Love is something you
do
! Sometimes you gotta
do
it first... then you feel it."
And the last chapter... so sweet. I'm not crying, you're crying!
And the last chapter... so sweet. I'm not crying, you're crying!
February 4, 2019
These books are so awesome thanks bro
The s
These books are so awesome thanks bro
The s
These books are so awesome thanks bro
April 22, 2022
Seven books into the Dog Man series, one could hardly blame Dav Pilkey if the concept were starting to get stale, but that isn't the case. For Whom the Ball Rolls is the best Dog Man yet, a delightful mixture of humor, emotion, and profound thought. Ever since book three, A Tale of Two Kitties, the titles have been clever parodies of classic literature, featuring stories that frequently reference other works by the highlighted author; For Whom the Ball Rolls introduces kids to the stylings of Ernest Hemingway. Petey the Cat has been Dog Man's nemesis since book one, but his allegiances are shifting. This is because of Li'L Petey, the clone Petey created of himself so he could cause twice as much havoc. But Li'L Petey is a child, unjaded by the experiences that hardened Petey into a criminal. He often pleads with his "Papa" to resist doing evil, and this came to a head in the previous book, Brawl of the Wild, when Petey helped apprehend the villain and save the day. He remains in Cat Jail for past crimes, but that could change as public support sways in Petey's favor. Does he deserve a clean slate?
While Petey rallies his fellow prisoners to support a pardon for him, an old problem returns for Dog Man. His dual nature—head of a dog, body of a human—normally makes him a great cop, but he's vulnerable to certain distractions. A criminal with a rubber ball to throw can divert Dog Man from the chase, and easily escape. This aggravates the police chief, who wishes his star cop would close the gaping hole in his skills set, but Dog Man needs help to build the discipline to overcome his animal instincts. It takes Li'L Petey and his robot assistant, 80-HD, days of concentrated aversion therapy to break Dog Man's ball-chasing habit, but our hero will do whatever he has to in order to be a better law officer.
When Petey gets sprung from prison, he unknowingly leaves behind his three former cohorts—Piggy, Clunky, and Bub—with Big Jim, a cat whose good heart sharply contrasts with his criminal record. Shrunk to the size of tiny insects in Lord of the Fleas, Piggy's gang wants revenge on Petey, and the three miniaturized animals will play a role later on. For now, Petey is off to Dog Man's house to pick up Li'L Petey, a joyful reunion even if the kid is sad to leave Dog Man. Petey may be his Papa, but Dog Man is his friend and mentor, who helps ensure the young cat won't follow Petey's path into a life of crime. Petey would rather cut ties with Dog Man altogether, but he doesn't want to hurt the kid, so he arranges for him to split time between Petey's house and Dog Man's. Knowing he'll stay with his friends every weekend is a weight off Li'L Petey's mind.
Back at Cat Jail, minuscule Piggy whispers subliminal suggestions into Big Jim's ear, but controlling the cat for nefarious purposes isn't going as planned. In another section of the city, at Robo-Time Industries, Dr. Scum returns with a plan to reassert himself as a prominent criminal, but he needs a new tactic; if he goes back to his old tricks he'll just land in prison. How can he neutralize Dog Man? Meanwhile, as Li'L Petey and his Papa get to know each other, Petey talks for the first time about his own father, who left Petey as a child and never came back. Li'L Petey wonders: if he could track down his grandfather and bring him home, would Petey's bitterness toward the world dissipate? Would his villainous impulse go away? With help from 80-HD, Li'L Petey conducts a search for his grandfather, but the old cat who rings the doorbell is nothing like Li'L Petey expected. Will his return have a restorative effect on Petey, or show the younger cat once and for all that some people are just bad?
At long last, Dr. Scum discovers a weakness of Dog Man's to exploit, and tailors his latest criminal invention to do just that. His mechanized "Burgle Balls" terrorize the citizenry, stealing a fortune in jewelry and other expensive wares. Dog Man will have to battle his own canine nature to stop Dr. Scum, but he won't have to go it alone. Li'L Petey (aka Cat Kid) and 80-HD (Lightning Dude) are at his side, warriors for justice to aid the "Bark Knight". The Burgle Balls can't overcome all three, but Dr. Scum has a contingency plan: his Colossal-Bot 2000, a four-armed behemoth that could crush the city beneath its feet. Can the Bark Knight, Cat Kid, and Lightning Dude defeat this new foe? Maybe if Petey joins the fight, affirming his commitment to change his ways for the kid's sake. Whether or not Petey's father can be reformed, Petey has the choice from this day forward to set an example for Li'L Petey by opposing his own darker urges. Has he truly turned good? We'll find out as the series moves forward.
For Whom the Ball Rolls features spectacular full-color artwork. Dav Pilkey deserves some credit, but a fair amount should go to Jose Garibaldi, the colorist. He's a magician with blacks, blues, purples, and other majestic shades of the night sky. As for the story, it's packed with deeper insight than we've yet seen in a Dog Man book. Early on, we get a glimpse of the difference in Petey and Li'L Petey's dispositions as they walk home after Petey gets out of Cat Jail. The kid marvels at the sights of nature, but all Petey pays attention to is the bad parts, things that cause him stress. "Hey, Papa! Look at the cute flowers!" the kid says. "Those aren't flowers. Those are weeds!" Petey grumps back at him. "Hey, Papa! Look at the pretty river!" "That river isn't pretty—it's polluted!" Petey shouts. "Hey, Papa! Look at all of the twinkly stars!" "Hey! Watch where you're stepping!" Petey grouses. "There's mud everywhere!" Petey lost his sense of awe long ago, and with it, any joy he had. Bitterness rushed in to fill the vacuum, and now he sees everything through that murky, distorted filter. But Li'L Petey isn't just his son; he's an exact genetic duplicate of Petey, a chance to set right what went wrong in his own childhood, to shield the kid from having his sense of awe and innocence ripped away. Li'L Petey is his shot at redemption, though making the most of it won't be easy for a damaged person like Petey. And yet...he has to try.
This book draws clear distinction between feelings and action: you need more than good intentions to be a decent person. In an argument between Li'L Petey and his grandfather, the old cat claims he never felt love for Petey a day in his life. "Love isn't just something you feel," Li'L Petey tells him. "Love is something you do!" Powerful words from a perceptive youngster. You can't force yourself to feel affection for someone, but you can dutifully protect and provide for them as though you felt love. In the end, how you treat them is more important than what you felt while doing it. Things might have turned out differently had Petey's father grasped this years ago. Li'L Petey encourages Dog Man in a similar vein when he finds our hero hiding in a trash can, terrified of Dr. Scum's Burgle Balls. Li'L Petey assures Dog Man he's a "good boy," but, "that doesn't mean very much. Look around. This city is filled with good people...but none of them are doing anything! It's not enough to just be good. We gotta do good! Even if things get scary!" Being a hero requires that you stand up to evil when you're afraid, risking your safety to do good, and Dog Man's record of heroism is why we love and admire him.
The Dog Man series had been good so far, but For Whom the Ball Rolls takes it to another level. I might well rate this book the full three stars. It is a simmering brew of life in all its disappointments and glory, a visual and philosophical spectacle that can also be highly amusing, even if this isn't Dav Pilkey at his comedic best. The story comes full circle with Li'L Petey and his Papa taking a walk at night, contemplating the adventure they've just been on, the sadness and triumph. Petey isn't an affectionate type, so what he says means that much more. "You wanna know something, kid?...This world has a lot of problems...But it could never be a horrible place...because you're in it." Li'L Petey is his Papa's chance to hit rewind on his own life, a life that went terribly wrong but can still be reclaimed via the sweet miracle that is Li'L Petey. When he hugs his son, he's hugging that lonesome, disenchanted young cat Petey was years ago, before he entered a life of crime. For Whom the Ball Rolls is my favorite of Dav Pilkey's books, and if you like stories that are a mixture of funny, sweet, and thoughtful, this one might be for you. I'm glad I stuck with the Dog Man series long enough to reach this book.
While Petey rallies his fellow prisoners to support a pardon for him, an old problem returns for Dog Man. His dual nature—head of a dog, body of a human—normally makes him a great cop, but he's vulnerable to certain distractions. A criminal with a rubber ball to throw can divert Dog Man from the chase, and easily escape. This aggravates the police chief, who wishes his star cop would close the gaping hole in his skills set, but Dog Man needs help to build the discipline to overcome his animal instincts. It takes Li'L Petey and his robot assistant, 80-HD, days of concentrated aversion therapy to break Dog Man's ball-chasing habit, but our hero will do whatever he has to in order to be a better law officer.
When Petey gets sprung from prison, he unknowingly leaves behind his three former cohorts—Piggy, Clunky, and Bub—with Big Jim, a cat whose good heart sharply contrasts with his criminal record. Shrunk to the size of tiny insects in Lord of the Fleas, Piggy's gang wants revenge on Petey, and the three miniaturized animals will play a role later on. For now, Petey is off to Dog Man's house to pick up Li'L Petey, a joyful reunion even if the kid is sad to leave Dog Man. Petey may be his Papa, but Dog Man is his friend and mentor, who helps ensure the young cat won't follow Petey's path into a life of crime. Petey would rather cut ties with Dog Man altogether, but he doesn't want to hurt the kid, so he arranges for him to split time between Petey's house and Dog Man's. Knowing he'll stay with his friends every weekend is a weight off Li'L Petey's mind.
Back at Cat Jail, minuscule Piggy whispers subliminal suggestions into Big Jim's ear, but controlling the cat for nefarious purposes isn't going as planned. In another section of the city, at Robo-Time Industries, Dr. Scum returns with a plan to reassert himself as a prominent criminal, but he needs a new tactic; if he goes back to his old tricks he'll just land in prison. How can he neutralize Dog Man? Meanwhile, as Li'L Petey and his Papa get to know each other, Petey talks for the first time about his own father, who left Petey as a child and never came back. Li'L Petey wonders: if he could track down his grandfather and bring him home, would Petey's bitterness toward the world dissipate? Would his villainous impulse go away? With help from 80-HD, Li'L Petey conducts a search for his grandfather, but the old cat who rings the doorbell is nothing like Li'L Petey expected. Will his return have a restorative effect on Petey, or show the younger cat once and for all that some people are just bad?
At long last, Dr. Scum discovers a weakness of Dog Man's to exploit, and tailors his latest criminal invention to do just that. His mechanized "Burgle Balls" terrorize the citizenry, stealing a fortune in jewelry and other expensive wares. Dog Man will have to battle his own canine nature to stop Dr. Scum, but he won't have to go it alone. Li'L Petey (aka Cat Kid) and 80-HD (Lightning Dude) are at his side, warriors for justice to aid the "Bark Knight". The Burgle Balls can't overcome all three, but Dr. Scum has a contingency plan: his Colossal-Bot 2000, a four-armed behemoth that could crush the city beneath its feet. Can the Bark Knight, Cat Kid, and Lightning Dude defeat this new foe? Maybe if Petey joins the fight, affirming his commitment to change his ways for the kid's sake. Whether or not Petey's father can be reformed, Petey has the choice from this day forward to set an example for Li'L Petey by opposing his own darker urges. Has he truly turned good? We'll find out as the series moves forward.
For Whom the Ball Rolls features spectacular full-color artwork. Dav Pilkey deserves some credit, but a fair amount should go to Jose Garibaldi, the colorist. He's a magician with blacks, blues, purples, and other majestic shades of the night sky. As for the story, it's packed with deeper insight than we've yet seen in a Dog Man book. Early on, we get a glimpse of the difference in Petey and Li'L Petey's dispositions as they walk home after Petey gets out of Cat Jail. The kid marvels at the sights of nature, but all Petey pays attention to is the bad parts, things that cause him stress. "Hey, Papa! Look at the cute flowers!" the kid says. "Those aren't flowers. Those are weeds!" Petey grumps back at him. "Hey, Papa! Look at the pretty river!" "That river isn't pretty—it's polluted!" Petey shouts. "Hey, Papa! Look at all of the twinkly stars!" "Hey! Watch where you're stepping!" Petey grouses. "There's mud everywhere!" Petey lost his sense of awe long ago, and with it, any joy he had. Bitterness rushed in to fill the vacuum, and now he sees everything through that murky, distorted filter. But Li'L Petey isn't just his son; he's an exact genetic duplicate of Petey, a chance to set right what went wrong in his own childhood, to shield the kid from having his sense of awe and innocence ripped away. Li'L Petey is his shot at redemption, though making the most of it won't be easy for a damaged person like Petey. And yet...he has to try.
This book draws clear distinction between feelings and action: you need more than good intentions to be a decent person. In an argument between Li'L Petey and his grandfather, the old cat claims he never felt love for Petey a day in his life. "Love isn't just something you feel," Li'L Petey tells him. "Love is something you do!" Powerful words from a perceptive youngster. You can't force yourself to feel affection for someone, but you can dutifully protect and provide for them as though you felt love. In the end, how you treat them is more important than what you felt while doing it. Things might have turned out differently had Petey's father grasped this years ago. Li'L Petey encourages Dog Man in a similar vein when he finds our hero hiding in a trash can, terrified of Dr. Scum's Burgle Balls. Li'L Petey assures Dog Man he's a "good boy," but, "that doesn't mean very much. Look around. This city is filled with good people...but none of them are doing anything! It's not enough to just be good. We gotta do good! Even if things get scary!" Being a hero requires that you stand up to evil when you're afraid, risking your safety to do good, and Dog Man's record of heroism is why we love and admire him.
The Dog Man series had been good so far, but For Whom the Ball Rolls takes it to another level. I might well rate this book the full three stars. It is a simmering brew of life in all its disappointments and glory, a visual and philosophical spectacle that can also be highly amusing, even if this isn't Dav Pilkey at his comedic best. The story comes full circle with Li'L Petey and his Papa taking a walk at night, contemplating the adventure they've just been on, the sadness and triumph. Petey isn't an affectionate type, so what he says means that much more. "You wanna know something, kid?...This world has a lot of problems...But it could never be a horrible place...because you're in it." Li'L Petey is his Papa's chance to hit rewind on his own life, a life that went terribly wrong but can still be reclaimed via the sweet miracle that is Li'L Petey. When he hugs his son, he's hugging that lonesome, disenchanted young cat Petey was years ago, before he entered a life of crime. For Whom the Ball Rolls is my favorite of Dav Pilkey's books, and if you like stories that are a mixture of funny, sweet, and thoughtful, this one might be for you. I'm glad I stuck with the Dog Man series long enough to reach this book.
September 14, 2020
Read aloud to D.
August 14, 2019
God. I love Dav Pilkey. I think he has single-handedly gotten a generation of reluctant readers engaged in books. Captain Underpants is hilarious but Dog Man is even better! Pilkey knows he has a following and that lots of kids are obsessed with Dog Man and he uses his platform to promote really great messages and themes. The theme of this book is “Do Good.” I just love that! It’s even more awesome because it doesn’t come across in a preachy way.
The theme of the book was inspired by the following poem “Two men looked through prison bars. One saw mud. The other, stars.” OMG, it gives me chills!
I also love the references to classic literature. This installment of the series makes me want to go read Hemingway. How amazing is it that a children’s book can do that?!?
So yes, I’m a grown adult who loves the Dog Man series as much as the children I teach. 🤷🏻♀️
The theme of the book was inspired by the following poem “Two men looked through prison bars. One saw mud. The other, stars.” OMG, it gives me chills!
I also love the references to classic literature. This installment of the series makes me want to go read Hemingway. How amazing is it that a children’s book can do that?!?
So yes, I’m a grown adult who loves the Dog Man series as much as the children I teach. 🤷🏻♀️
January 22, 2019
My 9 yr old loves these books - reads them super fast but she likes to read them in between her regular chapter books.
January 31, 2023
This one made me cry
July 8, 2024
Book 7 in the series and I’m even more convinced these books are more about Petey than Dogman. His character growth throughout and the relationship between him and Catkid are the best parts of the books. And I feel like Dogman isn’t in these books enough for it to be his own series. It’s time to give credit to Petey and name it after him. I said what I said.
August 23, 2019
This is the tenderest of the Dog Man stories, as Petey grows in his role as a parent. George and Harold have also grown in the maturity of their themes and their spelling :)
I love this series and appreciate Dav Pilky for writing books that make kids want to read (Again and again I have seen tentative readers blossom when they find Dog Man!) and that inspire those who may not have perfect attention skills, family situations, etc to succeed anyway! As Li’l Petey says, “It’s not enough just to BE GOOD. We gotta DO GOOD.” I love seeing graphic novels for young readers that have a good message. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I love this series and appreciate Dav Pilky for writing books that make kids want to read (Again and again I have seen tentative readers blossom when they find Dog Man!) and that inspire those who may not have perfect attention skills, family situations, etc to succeed anyway! As Li’l Petey says, “It’s not enough just to BE GOOD. We gotta DO GOOD.” I love seeing graphic novels for young readers that have a good message. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
February 4, 2019
So 👍
My son wants this book so bad
My son wants this book so bad
My son wants this book so bad
My son wants this book so bad
March 31, 2019
Me WHAT THE boooooooook💎💎
August 16, 2019
I read this book within 2 hours which is good for me because I take forever to read any book. But I love reading these book quick a bit.
March 9, 2025
literally full on snot nose bawling
August 14, 2019
Pilkey does it again. With especially punny and witty commentary re-interpreting Ernest Hemingway's work but also in minor tweaks, like the forever funny recap at the beginning but also the undeniable adorableness of Li'l Petey who always wants to believe in the good, even when he brings Petey's father back and Petey's father ends up stealing all of their things from the house.
The magical moments where Petey and Li'l Petey are looking up at the stars is an illustrative beauty and the messages ring true about finding the beauty in the world where you can. Plus it's not enough to be good, you must also do good.
And maybe there's hope for Dog Man after all with a little conditioning therapy.
The magical moments where Petey and Li'l Petey are looking up at the stars is an illustrative beauty and the messages ring true about finding the beauty in the world where you can. Plus it's not enough to be good, you must also do good.
And maybe there's hope for Dog Man after all with a little conditioning therapy.
June 7, 2022
Somewhat torn with this review. Read them during tutoring. The student loved them and couldn't get enough. His growing love of reading was a direct result of this series. I really didn't care for them (maybe because I am a female) but continued reading because they developed a love of reading for my 8 yr old male pupil and isn't that the reason for literature. We may not all have the same taste but we need to appreciate and respect other people's choices.
Dav Pilkey is a genius. I love his play on words and references to other literature. Actually, started pointing out some of his idioms used throughout the book. Loved Dog Man's positive outlook on life in the midst of trouble. Took me at least 4 previous books to see the "good side" of reading these books.
Dav Pilkey is a genius. I love his play on words and references to other literature. Actually, started pointing out some of his idioms used throughout the book. Loved Dog Man's positive outlook on life in the midst of trouble. Took me at least 4 previous books to see the "good side" of reading these books.
March 1, 2019
I think it was good
February 15, 2020
Sometimes you forget your book but Gus lets you borrow his.
May 17, 2022
OLD EVIL GUY
November 29, 2022
Read together with my son. They are fine, he loves them!
March 15, 2025
i was really funny.
Read
April 13, 2019LET ME READ IT
Read
October 9, 2021No calificaré este libro en estrellas
Este es el segundo libro de Dav Pilkey que leo. Me ha gustado más el otro libro de Club de Cómics de 🐱 . Es más divertido el otro (con esa literal estaba que me moría de risa) . Este no me ha hecho reír tanto como el otro . Lo que sí es que este libro me ha conmovido más que el otro libro.
Transmite un mensaje de bondad y esperanza y es lo que el mundo necesita.
Este es el segundo libro de Dav Pilkey que leo. Me ha gustado más el otro libro de Club de Cómics de 🐱 . Es más divertido el otro (con esa literal estaba que me moría de risa) . Este no me ha hecho reír tanto como el otro . Lo que sí es que este libro me ha conmovido más que el otro libro.
Transmite un mensaje de bondad y esperanza y es lo que el mundo necesita.
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