New ‘Dog Man’ Book by Dav Pilkey to Publish This Year (Exclusive)

Dog Man fans are in for a treat — a new book in the bestselling children’s graphic novel series is set to publish this year.

PEOPLE can exclusively reveal that Dog Man: Big Jim Begins will hit shelves on Dec. 3 via Scholastic. The book is the 13th installment of the bestselling series by author and illustrator Dav Pilkey, which follows a policeman who is part human and part dog, and which celebrates the importance of empathy and compassion.

The latest installment of the series, which has printed more than 60 million copies and been translated into 47 languages, will explore the origin story of Big Jim, a well-known character throughout the books. Per an exclusive page of the new book, shared below, Dog Man: Big Jim Begins will also feature characters such as Little Jim, Greg the Puppy and more.

“With this new book, I wanted to share the origin story of my characters, as readers get to know more about Big Jim—a character who is playful, kind, overly optimistic and often misunderstood and who sometimes gets into trouble despite having the best intentions,” Pilkey said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

A Dog Man movie was announced earlier this year. The film will be released by Dreamworks in 2025, and will be directed by Emmy-winner Peter Hastings and produced by Karen Foster.

“What I found so compelling about Dog Man is that it transcends culture and language, connecting and uniting kids and families everywhere with stories about friendship, love, bravery, empathy, epic adventures … and of course, a lot of humor,” Hastings said in a statement. “All of us at DreamWorks Animation are thrilled to once again be partnering with the incredibly talented Dav Pilkey and the team at Scholastic to bring Dog Man to the big screen — an iconic character known all over the world.”

Pilkey is also the bestselling author of the Captain Underpants series, and the Cat Kid Comic Club books, which are a spin-off of Dog Man. The author and illustrator says that working on Dog Man and Cat Kid Comic Club books, in particular, has been a meaningful experience throughout his 38-year career.

“Since the pandemic, I’ve been writing and illustrating books in the Dog Man and Cat Kid Comic Club series which has been a satisfying yet solitary experience,” Pilkey said. “I’m grateful to all my readers— kids and their families as well as educators — who have sent me letters and messages of encouragement. Their support and enthusiasm have inspired me to keep making books. I am truly humbled and honored.”

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