Libby is now the exclusive provider of the English-language ebooks for Dungeon Crawler Carl to libraries. 

For you, that means simpler access to a high-demand series your patrons are already excited about—and a chance to meet that demand in a meaningful way. 

Why fans go feral for Carl (and Donut) 

At its core, Dungeon Crawler Carl is wildly imaginative and a little chaotic—in the best way. The story follows Carl and a very memorable sidekick (a prize-winning cat named Princess Donut) as they’re forced into a deadly, dungeon-style competition run like an intergalactic reality show. 

It’s funny, fast-paced, a bit absurd, and incredibly bingeable—which explains why it’s sold millions of copies and built such a loyal fanbase. If you’ve got readers who love gaming, fantasy, or anything a little offbeat, this series tends to hook them quickly. 

The genre taking over the world – er, gaining popularity 

LitRPG has been gaining traction for a while, but what we’re seeing now is a full-on surge: 

• Checkouts in the genre have jumped dramatically on Libby (more than 600%!)
• Interest in Dinnaman and Dungeon Crawler Carl keeps climbing quarter over quarter – Matt now has 104K followers on Instagram and the series has an average rating of 4.53 stars on Goodreads*. 

*as of April 27, 2026 

In other words—this isn’t a niche corner anymore. It’s a growing demand, and series like Dungeon Crawler Carl are leading the charge. 

One of the best parts? Libraries can offer the entire series right away, so new readers can jump in at Book 1 without waiting, and existing fans can catch up or reread. With Book 8, A Parade of Horribles, arriving May 12, there’s a natural moment to build excitement and drive checkouts. 

Level up the patron experience 

This is where things get especially fun. A series like this doesn’t just sit on a shelf (or in a digital collection)—it lends itself beautifully to interactive, community-driven programming. 

Here are a few ways libraries are bringing it to life: 

Dungeon Night: Live Game Experience 

Turn your space into a mini dungeon crawl. Think puzzles, scavenger hunts, or simple “level up” challenges. It’s immersive, flexible, and a great draw for teens and groups. 

Read & Discuss Club 

Keep it casual—this doesn’t have to be a traditional book club. Use prompts, debate characters, or even let participants “theory craft” what might happen next. 

Build Your Own Dungeon Workshop 

Invite patrons to design their own levels, monsters, and rules. It’s a natural crossover between storytelling and game design—and a great fit for creative or STEM programming. 

There are even more programming ideas available in the marketing kit that’s available on the resource center! Journey there for social copy and graphics in addition to more fun ideas. 

If you’re looking for a quick, high-impact way to promote the series, consider featuring it directly in Libby with the Newsroom Campaign Editor with a Feature Title Campaign to share the Dungeon Crawler Carl series or Matt Dinnaman’s back-list of titles. 

We are so excited to collaborate with Matt Dinnaman and his team to make such a fabulously absurd series available to more readers. Stay tuned for more adventures!