When Dav Pilkey was a kid, he was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. Dav was so disruptive in class that his teachers made him sit out in the hallway every day. Luckily, Dav loved to draw and make up stories. He spent his time in the hallway creating his own original comic books -- the very first adventures of Dog Man and Captain Underpants. In the second grade, Dav's teacher ripped up his comics and told him he couldn't spend the rest of his life making silly books. Fortunately, Dav was not a very good listener.
Dan Santat is the
New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of
The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, which won the prestigious Randolph Caldecott Medal in 2015. He is also the creator of the acclaimed graphic novel
The Aquanaut, and his graphic memoir,
A First Time for Everything, was the 2023 National Book Award Winner for Young People's Literature. His art is featured in numerous children's books, including Dav Pilkey's Ricky Ricotta series as well as picture books by Henry Winkler and Jake Gyllenhaal. Dan lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and pets. Visit him online at dansantatbooks.com.
