“Dogzilla”

by Dav Pilkey

Theme 3 Incredible Stories

 Genre: Fantasy
• A fiction story with imaginary characters
and events that are make-believe.
• A fantasy is a type of incredible story.
• Something that is incredible is amazing,
unbelievable, or not likely to happen.
• Events that could not happen in real
life.
 Kind of Story

Fantasy
Fiction that contains elements that are
NOT realistic, such as talking
animals and magical powers.
Meet the Author and
Illustrator
Even before he was old
enough to go to school, Dav
Pilkey loved drawing.
Today, he writes and
illustrates his own books and
draws pictures for other
authors’ books. He says, “I
feel really lucky to be able to
make a living doing my
favorite things”.

(from www.eduplace.com)
 Summary
• The dreadful Dogzilla destroys the
streets of Mousopolis, ruining the city’s
cook-off. Brave mice attack, but
Dogzilla’s terrible doggy breath defeats
them. Finally, the mice come up with a
better plan-BATH TIME! Dogzilla flees,
and Mousoplois is saved, at least until
next year.
 Setting
When and where does the story take place?

WHERE? WHEN?
 Background Information
This story is a “spoof”, or a silly take-
off, of the monster movie Godzilla. If
you would like to find out more about
Godzilla, click on the monster below!
 Key Vocabulary
• colossal •monstrous

• creature •terrifying
•tremendous
• heroic

• horrifying
 colossal

very big; enormous

 creature

a living being, especially an

animal
 heroic

very brave or daring

 horrifying

causing much fear

monstrous

extremely large;
enormous
 terrifying

causing much fear

 tremendous

very great, large, or

powerful
colossal very big; enormous Vocabulary
creature a living being, especially
an animal

heroic very brave or daring

horrifying causing much fear

monstrous extremely large

terrifying causing much fear

tremendous very great, large, or powerful

 Comprehension Skill Focus:
Fantasy/Realism
• We have defined fantasy as incredible,
not real, and unbelievable.
• As we read “Dogzilla”, we find
examples of things that are fantasy
(not real) and some things that are
real and could really happen in life.
 Graphic Organizer
Fill in the organizer with details from the story.

Fantasy Realism
(Make Believe) (True-to-life)
Story Events
and Characters

Story Events
and Characters

Story Events
and Characters
 Think About the Selection
1. How is Dogzilla like most real dogs?
How is she not like real dogs?
2. How does thinking like a dog help the mice defeat
Dogzilla?

3. What if bathtime hadn’t scared Dogzilla away? What

other plans could the Big Cheese have made to save
Mousopolis?
4. What do you think will happen at the Second Annual
Barbecue Cook-Off?
5. How would the story have been different if a
colossal kitty had come out of the volcano
instead of a dreadful dog?

6. How does Dav Pilkey make this story so funny

and incredible? Give examples from both the
words and the pictures.