- Illustrated Chapter Books
- Ages 8–11
- Comedy
Worst Week Ever! Thursday
Book 4 in Worst Week Ever!View the full series
Thursday drags Justin Chase into a case of mistaken identity when he befriends a globe-famous teen pop star who happens to share his name - and a mix-up spirals into a kidnapping and a frantic chase. More fast, cartoon-packed comedy from the day-by-day series.
- Best for8–11
- FormatIllustrated
- Length192 pp
- Read aloud~1 hr15 min
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The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Comedic
- Conversational
Tone
- Funny
- Silly
- Irreverent
- Absurdist
- Exciting
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
It's Thursday, and Justin Chase's unwanted celebrity is now beaming his most embarrassing moments around the globe after an appearance on breakfast TV. Then things get properly out of hand: Justin discovers a new best friend in an international pop sensation and teen heartthrob who happens to share his exact name - Justin Chase. But when the two are mistaken for one another, a disastrous kidnapping follows, and our hapless hero finds himself racing against the clock and a ferocious dog to escape. It's the most far-flung, high-stakes day of the week so far, told in the series' signature riot of text, cartoons and photographs. Fast, daft and stuffed with slapstick, the fourth book in the globally bestselling day-by-day series is perfect for fans of Tom Gates, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and the Treehouse books. The relentless visual comedy and short bursts of text make it a reliable page-turner for reluctant readers who want a laugh and a chase in equal measure.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
For 8-11s reading independently, with the visual, joke-packed format keeping it accessible for reluctant readers and confident younger ones. The mistaken-identity caper adds a chase element on top of the usual school-life comedy.
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- Best fit · 8–11
- Read aloud · 7–10
- Independent · 8–11
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Workable
Works well for
- 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
3 / 5 · Mostly fine
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Reluctant readers
- Funny disaster comedy
- Toilet humour
- Wimpy kid fans
Avoid if
- Wants gentle bedtime
- Dislikes gross out humour
Particularly good for children who are…
- Reluctant reader
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Justin befriends a world-famous pop star with his exact name, then a mix-up lands him in a kidnapping and a race against the clock - and a ferocious dog. The escalating chase, the celebrity gag and the wall-to-wall cartoons keep the pages flying.
- Surviving danger
- The underdog winning
- Trickery and cleverness
Why parents love it
The mistaken-identity plot gives this instalment a proper caper energy while keeping the fast, image-heavy format reluctant readers love. Harmless peril, a fun poke at celebrity culture and jokes on every page.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
In the series
Worst Week Ever!.
7 books · open the series →
About the creators
About the creators.
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.
