Disclaimer: I received this finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own. 

 

Book: DnDoggos: Get the Party Started 

 

Author: Scout Underhill, Liana Sposto 

 

Book Series: DnDoggos Book 1 

 

Rating: 5/5 

 

Recommended For...: middle grade readers, graphic novel, fantasy, DND 

 

Publication Date: February 27, 2024 

 

Genre: MG Fantasy Graphic Novel 

 

Age Relevance: 8+ (slight violence) 

 

Explanation of Above: There is slight violence with weapons shown in a DND format. 

 

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends 

 

Pages: 272 

 

Synopsis: Four adorable dogs are tail-waggingly excited to play their favorite role-playing game in Get the Party Started , the middle grade graphic novel debut from online comic creator Scout Underhill. 

 

They've picked their characters and favorite dice, and are ready to set off on the adventure their game master Magnus has created for them. 

Pickles, a rough and tumble fighter; Tonka, a playful and fun-loving bard; and Zoey, a wise and caring cleric, are given a quest to fetch a magical dog collar from a nearby swamp. But when they triumphantly return, they soon find that the collar isn't the only thing that has gone missing from Tail's Bend. All the squeaky toys in town have disappeared and Squish, the mayor's young son, has set off on his own to find them. 

It's up to the Doggos to rescue Squish, track down the missing toys, and save the day! 

 

Review: As someone who’s played DND and loves the game, I absolutely adored this book. It’s a cute little intro into the world and game in an easy to understand format for little kids. When I started playing DND, I was around 10 years old and my dad was my Dungeon Master. He incorporated things that my cousin (also 10) and I both loved (like Pokemon) into the game to make it more interesting to us and I love that this game did something similar with the chew toys. I think that DND is a great game that teaches kids a multitude of life skills, like how to be a part of a cooperative group and how to creatively problem solve issues. My dad also incorporated math into our sessions because I needed help in that area, and playing the game helped me out with my math grades lol. I also love how the book switched between the game DND and the real life of the dogs, showing how they’re all friends and how they get along outside of the game. This book was an absolutely adorable trip down memory lane for me and I can’t wait to read the other books in this series. 

 

The only thing I will criticize is that the beginning was a bit abrupt. I would have liked to see how the group was formed, but for a middle grader I think going right into the action is a great idea for getting them hooked into the story early on. 

 

Verdict: I love this book so much! Great for DND lovers and parents teaching the game to their littles!