- Illustrated Chapter Books
- Ages 7–10
- Comedy
Barry Loser: Worst School Trip Ever!
Book 9 of 11 in Barry LoserView the full series
A school-trip instalment that gives the series a bigger, more outward-facing comedy setup. The field-trip premise makes it a useful pick for readers who like everyday school stories with a bit more movement and eventfulness.
- Best for7–10
- FormatIllustrated
- Length240 pp
- Read aloud~3 hr25 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Funny
- Silly
- Irreverent
- Adventurous
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Barry Loser is heading off on what should be an exciting school trip, but in true Barry fashion it quickly becomes the worst school trip ever. The ninth book gives the series a naturally funny setup: children away from normal routines, adults trying to stay in charge, friendships under pressure and Barry interpreting every inconvenience as a major outrage. The story is still driven more by jokes, embarrassment and Barry's comic voice than by high-stakes adventure, but the school-trip frame gives the book a pleasing sense of movement. Jim Smith's cartoon-heavy pages continue to make the reading experience friendly and fast, with plenty of visual jokes and expressive doodles. It is a strong choice for children who already enjoy school comedies and want the same tone moved into a trip, outing or away-from-class environment.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 7–10
- Read aloud · 7–10
- Independent · 7–10
Prose load
Moderate
Visual support
High
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Reading together
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
2 / 5 · Better outside bedtime
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Wimpy kid fans
- Tom gates fans
- School trip story
- School comedy
- Reluctant readers
Avoid if
- Needs calm bedtime read
- Dislikes silly slang
- Prefers home based story
Particularly good for children who are…
- Reluctant reader
- Making friends
- Anxiety and worry
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A riotously silly illustrated series in a one-of-a-kind voice — catnip for reluctant readers and a classroom-library favourite.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific kick is the school-trip disaster — Barry losing things at every stop, motorway service stations, sites of historical interest treated as personal catastrophes. A seven-year-old who's been on the kind of school trip parents call 'characterful' gets the comic version of their own week.
- Adventure and freedom
- Trickery and cleverness
- Friendship and belonging
Why parents love it
The Barry Loser for the school-trip slot — Barry treating every coach stop as a calamity. Useful in the week before an actual school trip, when both child and parent need the comic warm-up. Reliable late-series.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
In the series
Barry Loser.
11 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Jim Smith.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
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