Dog Man (Virtual) Programs
First posted July 19, 2020
This post is based on a blog post I wrote for Lincolnwood Public Library here on August 30th, 2019.
The Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey is a perennial favorite in our libraries and classrooms. We often literally cannot keep them on shelf because passionate readers check them out repeatedly. They get read and re-read and re-read and fall apart and have to be purchased again - and wouldn’t have it any other way. (If you haven’t read them yourself, I highly recommend it so you can engage with young people and their caregivers with knowledge about the zany hijinks, the delightful cast of characters, page-turning plot, wonderful art, and especially for grown-ups, talk about the powerful redemption arc that happens because of (spoiler alert) love.)
During one fateful Lego Club, I was chatting with a group of kids about their reading lives and they expressed their interest in us hosting a program about Dog Man by Dav Pilkey. I love being able to create programs based on young people’s requests and focus on their interests. Oftentimes we have to guess what they will enjoy, but with Dog Man, we know their fandom is strong.
Our Dog Man program took place in August 2019, so we hosted an in-person book release party for children K-5 and their caregivers. Many of the activities we did could easily be adapted for a virtual program, whether it’s live or an asynchronous program. I hope you will find these ideas and resources helpful. Feel free to add your ideas in the comments.
Book Birthday Video Ice-Breaker
We started our program by making a movie! We gathered copies of the Dog Man series, along with three copies of the new book to raffle away at the program, for the kids to hold. We then made a joyous “happy book birthday” video for Dav Pilkey, which was shared on our social media accounts. It made my day when I saw that Dav Pilkey saw our fan video, liked it and commented on it.
And you are in luck! The next book in the series, Dog Man: Grime and Punishment, is coming out on September 1, 2020, so it’s the perfect time for a virtual book party! You could have patrons submit short “happy book birthday” videos to compile or tag your library/school. You could also create a video together during a live event - and then share an edited version on your social media feeds. (And if you already have your fall programs set, no worries because Dav Pilkey’s new series, Cat Kid Comic Club, which is designed to help young readers create their own comics, will be released December 1, 2020.)
Watch Videos
I always approach programs with the expectation that young people may not have had the chance to read the texts we’re discussing - so I can plan to make it as accessible and welcoming as possible. We started our program by watching a series of videos, including the For Whom the Ball Rolls Trailer. You can watch the latest Dog Man: Grime and Punishment trailer below.
We also watched a fascinating video with Dav Pilkey sharing the origins of Dog Man and his struggles with school. Some kids shared details that they knew from reading the author’s notes in the back of the Captain Underpants series. They were impressed that the idea for Dog Man came to him in 2nd grade! One young person shared that his differences became his superpowers. Since creating this program, there are even more incredible videos you can share. Make sure to check out the collection of videos from Dav Pilkey at Home that offer drawing tutorials, behind-the-scenes insights, and read alouds.
Dog Man Storytime
We then hosted a reader’s theater performance of the first chapter of the new Dog Man. We asked kids to play different characters – and the entire group was responsible for the sound effects and group parts. Ann, our Early Literacy Librarian, led this fun activity, reading the narration dramatically and hilariously and signaling everyone when it was their part. This can easily be adapted into a PowerPoint Presentation that can be screen shared and parts assigned. (We scanned in the first chapter and did some editing to make the panels appear as we read the scenes…) I actually think the visuals can be more accessible for readers virtually, rather than having to strain to see a large screen in front of them in person. You could also type up the script and share that with readers ahead of time. (As always, be mindful about copyright. Please and thank you.)
Dog Man Scavenger Hunt
But then… disaster struck when Dog Man and Petey were cloned throughout the room and it was up to our intrepid fans to find them. Our group divided up between the two rooms with their clone scavenger hunt sheets in hand. Their job was to find all of the clones by their numbers. (Dog Man + math, for the win!) Many kids pointed out that they really enjoyed this part of the program on the evaluations. One awesome kid proudly proclaimed that he had found all the Petey clones, so when others had trouble, he kindly helped them find the ones they were missing. When people completed the scavenger hunt, they handed in their sheets to get a post-it for our Supa-Epic raffle.
This activity can definitely be adapted for at home experiences. You can create Grab n’ Go Program kits with copies of the scavenger hunt. You could encourage caregivers/siblings to set up the scavenger hunt before the program. (Make sure to put them in visible places; it’s no fun if you have to move stuff to find them…) If you’re doing this live, I’d definitely add a timer so that everyone reconvenes at a set time. I think it’s also important to establish that it’s okay to not find all the clones - or to find them later. While people can’t physically hand in their sheets, you can include everyone in a virtual raffle for taking part in the program. You can access the Scavenger Hunt here.
Flip-O-Rama Craft
We were then ready for our requested craft: Flip-O-Rama. We had tables full of art supplies, Flip-O-Rama templates, post-it flipbooks, and flip book templates to color. We put diagrams of how to draw the characters on the board, along with some Flip-A-Rama examples. Kids could participate in whatever way they felt comfortable. It was powerful seeing kids create art and be creative in their individual ways. You could always provide Flip-O-Rama directions and templates to use during the program and/or explore on their own. There are tons of templates and examples you can find online. Giving lots of options and freedom to create however they like is vital to this experience. It was incredibly helpful to have some already created Flip-O-Rama art along with blank templates to ensure everyone could participate. You could also provide handouts for drawing your own comics and tutorials for drawing characters from the Cat Kid Comic Club. There’s even super adorable Cat Kid Comic Club stickers you can print and add to your Grab n’ Go Program kit.
Do Good
Our group was then given the opportunity to join Dav Pilkey in his Do Good campaign to make a positive impact in their community. Knowing our kids’ passion for animals, I knew the perfect way to Do Good together. Everyone enthusiastically accepted the challenge to create dog toys to donate to shelter dogs. You can learn how to make dog toys by following the video below. I actually put already started dog toys in our swag bags since I knew it would take too long to teach everyone how to make the dog toys. This activity is perfect for Grab n’ Go program kits. Patrons can drop off completed dog toys at your library/school to donate to a local shelter, you could partner with the shelter directly, or they could share their toy with a pet in their life. Doing good always starts at home. You can talk with your group about ways they want to do good and create future programs based on their feedback.
Raffle
We ended our program by having everyone complete an evaluation about how the program went and how we can improve. This could always be adapted into a Google form. We gave everyone who completed the form a swag bag - but you can include merch in your Grab n’ Go Kit so they get it for joining the program. We also raffled off copies of Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls and a MerryMakers Dog Man stuffed animal. You could easily do this with an online raffle generator with the names of the people registered for your program. You can hopefully partner with your local independent bookstore to purchase these items, as well as offer booksales for your program.
Supa Buddies
For our in-person program, I am grateful to have the help of Supa Buddies, Ann, Emily, & Matt who helped out during this program, ensuring everything ran smoothly and getting some amazing videos and pictures to capture this memorable event. It’s just as important to enlist help for virtual programs to manage the technology, moderate discussion and provide support for leading the program. I know it’s been invaluable having a buddy for the virtual programs I’ve been offering - and I’d recommend making it part of your planning process. Plus, it’s so fun to share this experience with your colleagues.
Grab n’ Go Program Kit
Knowing that this program is bound to interest many patrons, I’d suggest making extra Grab n’ Go Kits so even if people miss the live program, they can still enjoy the experience at home. There are so many amazing resources you can print out and include in your kits. The ALA store also has some wonderful bookmarks you could purchase to add to your kits including Dog Man, Vamos! Let's Go Read, and Reading Without Walls.
Dog Man Readalikes
But now I know you’re facing a quandary: your young reader has read ALL of the Dog Man books and is hungry for more hilarious, engaging, and fun books to explore! It’s a frequent question I have received at my library - so this was the perfect opportunity to curate some amazing readalikes. I put the readalike list in our swag bags. You can access the Canva template here to make your own.
Make Comics
There are lots of wonderful ways you can extend the learning related to your program. One of the best ways is to help support young readers in creating their own stories by inviting authors to join you for comics workshops. I attended a fabulous virtual Miami Book Fair event, Telling Our Own Stories: A Making Comics Workshop, with comics creator Jarod Roselló, author of the delightful Red Panda & Moon Bear. It was so fun to be able to create along with him - and see how others made their comics. I highly recommend inviting Jarod to your school or library for a fantastic & fun learning experience.
Once you host the workshop, encourage kids to share the comics they've made. I've recently been adding comics that we've received from kids to a binder in our comics section so that kids can read each other's work ands see their comic in the library. It's all sorts of magical! To provide virtual access, you can also ask them for permission to post them on your social media or school site so they can see their art in the spotlight.
Collaborate
Our library is always finding innovative ways to connect and share with each other. It's my favorite thing to be able to share resources with other librarians and see what they create. I highly recommend partnering with a local library or school to host your program together. You never know what amazing things you'll make together!
Please feel free to share your ideas for these kinds of programs - and the awesome things you're doing.
Resources
Franklin Park Library Dog Man Party
National Book Festival Presents Dav Pilkey
Interview with Dav Pilkey (Mr. Schu)
Dog Man Teaching Guide
Dav Pilkey talks Dog Man and "Do Good" (Scholastic Reads Podcast)