Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good

After playing one trick too many, Loki, Norse god of mischief, is sent by Odin to live on earth as an 11-year-old boy. He has one month to prove that he can mend his ways, or Odin will condemn him to eternal torture. Loki must record evidence of his moral improvement in a magical diary which, unfortunately for him, corrects lies and deducts ‘virtue points’ from his score whenever he behaves badly. Furious that he must suffer indignities such as attending school and doing chores, Loki struggles to be good. He is particularly enraged that he has to put up with Thor, who poses as his twin brother to keep an eye on him.

Loki’s scathing observations of human existence are hilarious, as well as insightful at times. Despite his contemptuous attitude towards mortal beings, readers will be rooting for him to make the right choices, as he learns about guilt, loyalty and friendship. This side-splitting tale, which contains an abundance of references to Norse mythology, is hugely entertaining from start to finish. A great choice for reluctant readers, it is generously illustrated with witty black-and-white cartoon drawings, and the daily diary entries break the text into manageable sections.