Hold on to Your Underpants -- the Captain Is Back!

NEW YORK, Jan. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education, and media company, announced today that it will publish two new books in the worldwide bestselling Captain Underpants series by award-winning author Dav Pilkey on August 28, 2012, and in January 2013. In addition, Scholastic will release the first Dav Pilkey e-books—two titles in the bestselling Super Diaper Baby series—on January 31, 2012.

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Scholastic will release Captain Underpants and the Terrifying Return of Tippy Tinkletrousers (Captain Underpants #9 ISBN: 978-0-545-17534-0, $9.99 hardcover, Ages 7 and up) on August 28, 2012, to be followed by the publication of Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers (Captain Underpants #10 ISBN: 978-0-545-17536-4, $9.99 hardcover, Ages 7 and up) in January 2013—each with a world English language first printing of one million copies.

On January 31, 2012, Scholastic will release e-book versions of Pilkey's bestselling graphic novels, The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby (E-Book ISBN: 978-0-545-41483-8, $9.99, Ages 7 and up) and Super Diaper Baby 2: The Invasion of the Potty Snatchers (E-Book ISBN: 978-0-545-41484-5, $9.99, Ages 7 and up), which will each include bonus material about the making of the books, samples of sketches by Dav Pilkey, deleted scenes, and more.

In his ninth epic Captain Underpants novel, Dav Pilkey takes readers back in time to the carefree days of kindergarten, when the worst thing heroes George and Harold had to face was NOT an evil mad scientist or an alien cafeteria lady but a sixth-grade bully named Kipper Krupp, the nephew of their clueless school principal. And because George and Harold don't actually invent Captain Underpants until fourth grade, the two clever kindergartners are on their own—using their brains to beat the bully.

"All of us at Scholastic are so excited to be publishing new Captain Underpants books!" said Ellie Berger, President of Scholastic Trade. "Dav Pilkey is simply unmatched when it comes to combining innovation, creativity, and humor in a way that appeals to all kids including the most reluctant readers. We also look forward to expanding Dav's brilliant kid-friendly books into digital formats."

"I'm delighted to be back with George, Harold, and the gang," said Dav Pilkey. "I've had so much fun writing and drawing their latest adventure, and I hope kids enjoy it too."

About Captain Underpants

Launched in September 1997 with The Adventures of Captain Underpants, the Captain Underpants series has more than 50 million books in print in North America. The Captain Underpants book series tells the story of two mischievous kids, George Beard and Harold Hutchins, who hypnotize their school principal and turn him into their comic book creation, Captain Underpants. Dav Pilkey's three most recent Captain Underpants novels, Captain Underpants and the Preposterous Plight of the Purple Potty People (August 2006), Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, Part 1: The Night of the Nasty Nostril Nuggets (August 2003), and Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, Part 2: The Revenge of the Ridiculous Robo-Boogers (September 2003), each debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. The Captain Underpants books are published in 19 languages. In October 2011, DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. announced that the studio had obtained the rights to Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants book series, with plans to pursue a feature film adaptation for the big screen. DreamWorks Animation development executive Damon Ross is overseeing the project at the studio.

About Dav Pilkey

Dav Pilkey created his first stories as comic books while he was in elementary school. Since then, in addition to the Captain Underpants series, his Blue Sky Press/Scholastic books include numerous popular, award-winning books for children, such as Dog Breath, winner of the California Young Reader Medal; The Paperboy, a Caldecott Honor Book; The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby, which debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list; The Adventures of Ook & Gluk: Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future, a #1 New York Times bestseller, and the Dumb Bunnies series. For more information about Dav Pilkey, visit www.pilkey.com.

About Scholastic

Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology and related services and children's media. Scholastic creates quality books, print and technology-based learning materials and programs, magazines, multi-media and other products that help children learn both at school and at home. The Company distributes its products and services worldwide through a variety of channels, including school-based book clubs and book fairs, retail stores, schools, libraries, on-air, and online at www.scholastic.com.

SOURCE Scholastic Corporation