Dante N. Ferno Is Not a Loser - by Brian Gordon (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets the myth-mashing of Percy Jackson in this fun and highly illustrated book for kids ages 8 and up.

Dante N. Ferno is trying to be a winner. Ever since his pants fell down in front of the entire school, Dante's life has been nothing short of embarrassingly uncool. Never fear, once he starts sixth grade, Dante has a 100% fool-proof plan to become the Most Popular Kid at his new school:

1. Completely reinvent himself.
2. Make a ton of new friends and accept his nomination as their honorary leader.
3. Become good at sports and win all the game things.
4. Rub his newfound popularity in the face of all the haters he grew up with.

Sounds easy, right? Well, think again. Purg Middle School is full of infamous creatures from myths and legends, like the grim-reaper bus driver, Mr. Charon, and Dante's angelic new friend, Virgil. Many of them won't let Dante escape his beast of a reputation so easily.

Filled with hilarious black-and-white illustrations by the author, Brian Gordon's Dante N. Ferno Is NOT a Loser is a madcap adventure that follows a spirited young demon as he wrestles with bullies, fiends, and other middle school monstrosities. It's perfect if you're looking for:

● Funny and universal stories for kids ages 8+ or in third grade and up
● Highly illustrated and easy-to-read books for reluctant readers
● Fresh twists on classic mythology and legends

Review Quotes

A Junior Library Guild Selection

"His hellaciously embarrassing reputation drives a boy to try to transform himself in time for middle school . . . Every page features an illustration that breaks up the text, and varied fonts are frequently employed for emphasis, adding to the visual interest. Gordon's scribbly black-and-white art is lively and expressive . . . An entertaining, afterlife-themed addition to the pantheon of insecure, goofy tweens who could use a good friend." --Kirkus Reviews

"Sketched cartoon illustrations on nearly every page keep the side comments and comical reaction shots coming right up to the triumphant close." --Booklist

About the Author

Brian Gordon decided when he was six that he was going to be a cartoonist when he grew up. He spent the rest of his childhood drawing, writing funny stories and running away from bullies who didn't like his drawings or his stories.

Despite being told by his teachers that cartooning wasn't a "real job," he's happy to have proved them wrong and has been drawing silly things for a living ever since. He spent the first half of his career making greeting cards, but for over a decade, he's been writing Fowl Language, a webcomic read by millions around the world, about the ups and downs of parenting four kids. Now, he's also writing stories for kids--Dante N. Ferno is his debut series for kids.

He has a wife named Cat and a dog named Pickles, who is very soft and loves getting his ears scratched.