The creator of one of our favorite—and most controversial—superheroes is Dav Pilkey. The man behind Captain Underpants himself struggled while in school, but is now able to write the books that would have really engaged him as a student. He doesn’t understand why hundreds of people every year question whether Captain Underpants should even be available for kids to read, but he won’t stop writing them and the spinoffs that came from the series.

In fact, Pilkey is now in the midst of writing four more books simultaneously, including a new one for the Captain series and two Captain spinoffs. It’s amazing he even had time to answer these questions.

It’s Banned Books Week. Captain Underpants is consistently on top of the American Library Association’s list of "most challenged books," that is to say people want it banned and deem it inappropriate for children. Were/are you surprised this series is so controversial? 

I’m very surprised that there is such a controversy, since the books contain no profanity, no sex, no nudity, no alcohol, no drugs, no guns, and no more violence than you’d see on a Saturday morning cartoon. 　

What do you think is at the heart of the desire to ban this series? 

I’m really not sure. It’s clear from some of the complaints that many people who are against the series have not even read the books. I think some adults look at the covers and make up their minds that the books are nothing but a collection of fart jokes. I’ve met so many grown-ups, however, who admitted to hating the series—until they actually sat down and read it. They quickly discovered that there isn’t nearly as much toilet humor as they’d assumed. The stories mostly focus on the themes of friendship, fantasy, and kid-empowerment.

You spoke at #IRA14 about struggling with dyslexia and ADHD. How did writing help you deal with your learning challenges or did your learning challenges help you with your writing? 

My learning challenges have influenced my writing a great deal. I remember struggling with reading as a kid, and finding it very difficult to stay focused on books. I actually had my own "criteria" for books that I would choose to read as a kid: they had to have short chapters, lots of illustrations, loads of humor, tons of action, and had to feature robots, monsters, and/or mad scientists. Nowadays, I write for the kid I used to be, so each of my books contain the same elements that I used to look for as a kid.

You also said you’re working on four books?! How do you constantly switch gears and keep different plotlines straight? 

I suppose thinking up stories is kind of a hobby with me. I’d probably still do it even if it wasn’t my job.

What is your all-time favorite controversial book and why?

In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak. The text is like a poem written in a dream, and the illustrations (which feature full-frontal nudity) are just as bold and breathtaking now as they were when they first came out in 1970.

April Hall is the editor of Reading Today Online. She can be reached at ahall@/.