Awesome Dog 5000

Awesome Dog 5000
Justin Dean
Random House/2019 189 pages
Grades 3-6
Science Fiction/Humor

Marty moves with his mom to a new town with hopes of becoming a cool kid in his new school. All hopes are dashed after a series of unfortunate and hilarious incidents land him at the dork table. It is here that he meets Skyler and Ralph, fellow misfits and video game enthusiasts. They are not what Marty had in mind for new friends, but the three kids have much in common. When Marty invites his new pals over after school to play their favorite video game, they discover a box left in the corner by the house's former owner. It contains a robotic dog, which once new batteries are inserted, can do all kinds of exciting things, including fly. Awesome Dog 5000 takes Marty on a crazy inaugural flight, unknowingly interrupting the birthday party of master villain Dr. Crazybrains. The evil scientist becomes so angry at his spoiled party that he vows to take revenge on Marty. This involves putting his various potions to work and disguising himself as a cafeteria lady. Will Dr. Crazybrains take down Marty and his friends? Will Awesome Dog 5000 put his powers to the test and help his new pals save the day? Will Marty ever become a cool kid? All of these questions and more will be answered by the end of this exciting book!

Screen writer, Dean, pens his first book for children, which is sure to be a hit. The target audience are clearly Dog Man fans, of which there are plenty, and this new series will keep them busy while waiting for the next installment--or for their turn with the dozen or so library copies that are currently checked out. Even though Awesome Dog 5000 is the name of the series, the hero is really Marty and his friends. Awesome Dog gives the concept a clever hook and will further reach Dog Man fans. Reluctant readers will sail through this book. It is generously illustrated with black and white cartoons on every page, which help move along and flesh out the plot. There are some truly funny bits and many puns, though a lot of the humor relies on the potty variety. Any book involving a giant food fight, an unlikable character called T.P. McFlush-face, and an evil potion meant to increase butt cheeks to twenty feet will certainly appeal to the intended crowd. Dr. Crazybrains is an interesting and fun villain and his backstory is offered in a different font and drawing style to clue readers into the change in narration. At the end of the day, Dean leaves us with a message of the importance of friendship and picking your pals wisely, as well as a lead in to the next installment due for a spring 2020 release.