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Parents' Guide to

Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-A-Lot: Captain Underpants, Book 12

By Darienne Stewart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Amid the mischief, a heartfelt pep talk for underdogs.

Book Dav Pilkey Humor 2015
Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-A-Lot: Captain Underpants, Book 12 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 8+

Based on 2 parent reviews

MamaJoy
MamaJoy Adult
March 28, 2019
age 7+
Obviously, any Captain Underpants book has little educational value beyond getting the reluctant reader to start reading. A parent must first be able to look beyond the constant toilet-humor, but if you live with boys, this is not unheard of. However, this book took a new turn. In Chapter 22, the boys meet their adult-selves. "Old George, his wife, and their kids, Meena and Nik, sat on the couch, while Old Harold, his husband, and their twins, Owen and Kei, plopped down in the giant beanbag chair."
BookLadyJenny
BookLadyJenny Parent
November 15, 2015
age 8+

Great Addition To The Series

I thought this was a wonderful, silly book. Kids love it and I hardly ever get to shelve it in our library. They don't even notice that Harold has a husband in the "future" scenes of the book. Their world has always existed with a different kinds of people in it and it's not that big of a deal. (Dav handles this with care, and it's only a few pages.) I do think some parents will not want their kids to read it because of that. I understand that. But what a shame.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In In CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS AND THE SENSATIONAL SAGA OF SIR STINKS-A-LOT, not-too-bright gym teacher Mr. Meaner becomes a genius -- an evil genius -- after munching on a strange substance that fell from space smack into Piqua, Ohio. He invents a machine that turns children into obedient, eager workers, trying it out first on Yesterday Harold and Yesterday George (duplicates from an earlier time-travel experiment). Present-day Harold and George are horrified to see themselves and their classmates transformed by something called Attention Superfluous Lethargy Syndrome into mindlessly obedient workers. As the only children unaffected by the noxious spray, thanks to their stuffy noses Harold and George travel to the future to get help from the only adults they can trust: their future selves.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (4 ):

This 12th giddy book in Dav Pilkey's much-loved (and much-challenged) series is surprisingly heartfelt. We learn that George and Harold, who exasperate their teachers, worry their parents, and are far from model students, grow up to be successful, happy fathers and husbands. Pilkey takes a few jabs at the "grouchy old people" who've criticized his books. He then leads young readers on a merry mockery of grown-ups who seem to forget that being silly and creative is part of being a kid and part of what will help them become good grown-ups someday. The story builds on twists and turns across the previous 11 books, but newcomers will have no trouble reading this as a standalone book.

Pilkey hints this could be the end of Captain Underpants. If it is, it's a satisfying send-off that evokes the classic closings of the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes or The Complete Tales & Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh -- no joke!

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why this series is often criticized by adults. How would you respond if an adult told you these books aren't appropriate for kids?

  • Harold and George are heartbroken to overhear their parents praising their better-behaved duplicate selves. Do you think their parents are as bad as the teachers? Do you sometimes hear criticism underneath praise?

  • Try drawing your own "Flip-O-Rama" sequence or graphic novel.

Book Details

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