I Am Reading: Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Causing Chaos by Louie Stowell
Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Causing Chaos by Louie Stowell 👉
| Publisher: | Walker Books Ltd |
|---|---|
| Publish date: | 11 September 2025 |
Loki might be the terrible trickster god of Norse lore, but right now he's been banished by Odin for bad behaviour and forced to live on Earth as an eleven-year-old boy… He's not allowed to use his powers, he has to write a diary of his good deeds (and the diary knows if he's lying), and he has to deal with his annoying brother Thor, elves who hate him, and school…
Louie Stowell's middle-grade series works so well that you start chuckling from page one. Her Loki is hilariously naughty, indignant, sneaky and (occasionally, whisper it) even good. The other gods, in their new roles as annoying Mum, Dad, brother, and others, are silly, but, crucially, not too silly – everything kind of hangs together and makes sense, in a brilliant, nonsense way.
In this episode, Loki finds that everyone around him is behaving really weirdly, and for once it's not down to him. Friends have become enemies. The Giants suddenly love Thor … and he loves them! And Vinir, Loki's sworn enemy (well, one of them) follows Loki around like a puppy, presenting him gifts and asking if he'd like to go to the ball…
The interaction between Loki and his diary (who keeps score of his virtues, calls out his lies, and occasionally even gives him a bit of a hint) is wonderful. Loki as an annoying eleven-year-old is perfect, and the story even has space for some really touching moments. It's easy to read, is stuffed with Louie's funny illustrations, and it has a chalice that delivers infinite crisps. What more could you possibly want?
(Only disappointment: Loki promises to tell the story of how he made the Skandi giant laugh. Somehow, that doesn't make it into the book… Louie? 🐐)
Find out more and buy Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Causing Chaos here 👉