- Illustrated Chapter Books
- Ages 8–11
- Comedy
Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Taking the Blame
Book 2 of 5 in Loki: A Bad God's GuideView the full series
Thor's hammer Mjolnir goes missing at his birthday party and everyone assumes Loki did it. To clear his name he has to catch the real thief, all while wrestling with jealousy over his one human friend making a new one. The second doodle-packed diary in the series.
- Best for8–11
- FormatIllustrated
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Comedic
- Conversational
- Epistolary
Tone
- Funny
- Irreverent
- Silly
- Exciting
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Norse god Loki is still stuck on Earth as a peevish eleven-year-old, recording the highs and lows of mortal life in grumbles, snarks and doodles in his enchanted diary, and Odin has given him another chance to prove he's worthy of Asgard. Trouble is, Loki has managed to make exactly one human friend, Valerie, and he's not at all happy to discover she has made another. Then, at Thor's birthday party, the magical hammer Mjolnir is stolen, and of course everyone immediately suspects Loki. To clear his name he must track down the real thief, all while his jealousy over Valerie's new friend threatens to cloud his judgement. Told through Loki's furious, funny diary entries and comic-strip doodles, this second instalment keeps up the poop jokes, boasts and glancing Norse-myth references while sneaking in some real lessons about friendship and taking responsibility. Ideal for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid who like a trickster god at the centre of the chaos.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
Built for 8-11s reading on their own, with the illustrated diary format welcoming confident readers from about 7. The mystery and humour work well read aloud, though the energy is more giggle-inducing than bedtime-calming.
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- Best fit · 8–11
- Read aloud · 7–10
- Independent · 8–11
Prose load
Light
Visual support
High
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
- 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
- Funny diary
- Norse mythology
- Reluctant readers
- Laugh out loud comedy
Avoid if
- Wants gentle bedtime
- Prefers prose only
Particularly good for children who are…
- Reluctant reader
- Making friends
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Everyone blames Loki when Thor's hammer vanishes, and watching him try to catch the real thief while pretending he isn't jealous of Valerie's new friend is comedy gold. The doodles, snark and mythical mischief make every diary entry a treat.
- Trickery and cleverness
- Being a detective
- Magic powers
- Friendship and belonging
- Proving yourself
Why parents love it
The mystery format gives this instalment real momentum while the jealousy subplot handles a genuine friendship wobble with a light touch. Short entries and heavy illustration keep reluctant readers turning pages, and the trickster voice is fun to read aloud.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
In the series
Loki: A Bad God's Guide.
5 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Louie Stowell.
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.