{"product_id":"loki-a-bad-gods-guide-to-taking-the-blame-isbn-9781536233223","title":"Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Taking the Blame","description":"\u003cb\u003eWhen Thor’s hammer goes missing, trickster god Loki, still trapped as a cranky eleven-year-old boy, is determined to prove he’s innocent (for once!). The hilarious series continues in this second volume.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNorse god Loki records the highs and lows of living on Earth as an eleven-year-old in grumbles, snarks, and doodles in his enchanted diary. He might not have shown any moral improvement (yet), but Odin has given Loki another chance to prove himself worthy of Asgard. Earning everyone’s trust isn’t easy, however. So far, Loki has managed to make only one human friend, Valerie. But he is irritated to learn that Valerie has made another friend. Then, at Thor’s birthday party (a pointless mortal ritual, though luckily there is cake), the magical hammer Mjolnir is stolen—and everyone suspects Loki! Can Loki find Thor’s hammer, discover who the real thief is, and clear his name—or will his jealousy over Valerie’s new friend cloud his judgment? From dangerous Frost Giants to disappointing parent-teacher conferences, Loki’s riotously funny illustrated adventures continue.The Norse god of trickery gets another lesson in ethics when Thor’s hammer is stolen. . . Along with folding in frequent glancing references to Norse myths, the author has salutary messages for much of the immortal supporting cast (and readers, too). . . More \u003cb\u003elife lessons\u003c\/b\u003e, abob in poop jokes, boasts, and mythological references on the way to a bit of world-saving.\u003cbr\u003e—Kirkus Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs with the first Loki book, ‘Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Taking the Blame’ is \u003cb\u003ewildly clever, totally hilarious \u003c\/b\u003ewith equally funny illustrations and an absolute guarantee that kids will rip through every page as fast as they can.\u003cbr\u003e—The Reading Eagle\u003cb\u003eLouie Stowell \u003c\/b\u003estarted her career writing carefully researched books about space, ancient Egypt, politics, and science, but eventually lapsed into just making stuff up. The author of the Kit the Wizard series, she was inspired by her research into Norse myths to write \u003ci\u003eLoki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eher first project as both author and illustrator, which became a number-one UK bestseller. Louie Stowell writes full-time in London, where she lives with her wife, Karen; their dog, Buffy; and a creepy puppet that is probably cursed.\u003cb\u003eDay One\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Monday\u003cbr\u003eLOKI VIRTUE SCORE OR LVS: 0\u003cbr\u003e   Reset for a fresh start\u003cbr\u003e   Better than the minus millions, I suppose!\u003cbr\u003e   Today at school, I performed a mighty feat: I was nice to the new kid.\u003cbr\u003e   If you’ve never attended a mortal school, you might not know that it is a long-standing tradition that the new child in class is treated with disdain and cruelty. However, because I am a Good God™ now, I ignored this custom, risking the scorn of my peers!\u003cbr\u003e   “Miss, Sarah can sit next to me,” I said, gesturing graciously at an empty chair beside me.\u003cbr\u003e   This is Sarah. She’s new. \u003cbr\u003e   Thor, who was sitting on my other side, leaned over. “What did you do to her chair? Spread peanut butter over the seat? Or superglue?”\u003cbr\u003e   “Nothing!” I promised.\u003cbr\u003e   No lie detected. \u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e   \u003c\/i\u003e“Actually,” said Sarah, “I’d rather sit over there if that’s OK?” She pointed at a chair far, far away from me.\u003cbr\u003e   I sat there with my mouth open in horror as Sarah trotted to her new seat. I had done this noble deed, driven by pity for a poor unfortunate soul, and . . . she refused my offer? She turned down Loki? ME? \u003cbr\u003e   Well. I don’t know why I bother. \u003cbr\u003e   You bother because you want to become a good person in order to be allowed to return home to Asgard one day. And you still have a LOT of improving to do.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I hate this diary. I think I might put it in the fire. \u003cbr\u003e   I’m flame-retardant to the highest temperatures of the fiery wilderness of Muspelheim.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eAfter school, I watched TV with Thor and Hyrrokkin. Heimdall was busy installing what mortals call an alarm.\u003cbr\u003e   Alarm: \u003cb\u003ea device that emits a high-pitched sound when thieves break into your house. Also prone to beeping at random intervals for no reason, especially in the middle of the night.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e  \u003c\/i\u003eNote to self: check how hot it is in Muspelheim.\u003cbr\u003e  When I come across an unfamiliar mortal concept, this book shows me an explanation written by “all-knowing” Odin himself. Sometimes it sounds like he’s just making fun of mortals.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e ATTACK!\u003cbr\u003e GRR!\u003cbr\u003e RAWR!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   “Who would want to break into this pathetic hovel anyway?” I asked.\u003cbr\u003e   “Giants!” said Heimdall. \u003cbr\u003e   “And what do we have that the giants would want to steal?” I asked, gesturing around at the drab mortal dwelling that we call home. Not a gold throne or a diamond-encrusted chalice in sight, unlike in Asgard.\u003cbr\u003e   “They might want to steal Thor’s hammer!” said Heimdall. “Or kidnap one of us! Or steal”—he cast his eyes around the room—“our television. It’s very large. Anyway. Dinnertime. Go and wash your hands. With soap!”\u003cbr\u003e   After dinner, Hyrrokkin fed her snakes. While she was busy popping dead mice into the eager mouths of serpents, Thor and I did chores.\u003cbr\u003e   Chores are one of the cruelest parts of being a mortal child. Especially today’s horrifying task: \u003cbr\u003e   Loki – Tidy that mess of a bedroom!\u003cbr\u003e   Thor – Dust hammer collection– your bedroom is already tidy.\u003cbr\u003e   In Asgard, if you drop something, it magically returns itself to its proper place. But tragically that does not happen in the mortal realm.\u003cbr\u003e   Apparently, my system for storing my belongings was not acceptable to my fake parents. I don’t know why. I know where everything is. \u003cbr\u003e   I’m quite annoyed that Thor is so good at cleaning his room. In fact, I think he only does it to annoy me. \u003cbr\u003e   He came to bother me after dusting his hammers. As I worked my tender fingers to the bone, he went on and on about how funny it was that the new girl turned down my offer of a seat. I don’t believe Thor truly grasps the concept of humor. Humiliation is only funny when it’s not happening to me.\u003cbr\u003e   Funny\u003cbr\u003e   NOT funny\u003cbr\u003e   “I think it was very rude of her,” I said haughtily. \u003cbr\u003e   “That’s why it was funny,” said Thor. “Though not as funny as your face when she turned you down like a friendless loser.”\u003cbr\u003e   Just before I wreaked terrible vengeance upon Thor, thereby destroying my status as a Good God™, Hyrrokkin called us downstairs. \u003cbr\u003e   “I have received an email from your school,” she said, frowning. \u003cbr\u003e   Hyrrokkin disapproves of emails. In fact, she considers paper letters to be newfangled and prefers runes etched into stone, or at least painted on a “nice bit of vellum.” \u003cbr\u003e   “The school is to hold a mystical ritual on Thursday, in which you will be judged,” she went on. “Your teachers will tell Heimdall and me if you have proved worthy.”\u003cbr\u003e   But how will my teachers know if I am worthy? I have not completed any quests to show my worth!\u003cbr\u003e   Hyrrokkin explained that the mystical ritual was something called a parents’ night, and that our worthiness would be judged based on how “Liam” (me) and “Thomas” (Thor) have performed at school. \u003cbr\u003e   While I know that I am a delight to be around and a wit of the highest order, the thought of being judged by my teachers did give me a strange feeling in my stomach. \u003cbr\u003e   You see, sometimes my genius can be misconstrued. Teachers have been known to shout at me, saying things like “Liam, don’t disrupt the class!” and “Liam, stop being needlessly cruel to Sophie!” and “Oh God, why did they have to put you in my class? Does the principal hate me?”\u003cbr\u003e   But I dismissed my worries. After all, what does it matter what my teachers say about me at this paltry meeting in three days’ time? I am an immortal god, glorious and mighty! I do not need their praise.\u003cbr\u003e   You need everybody’s praise, Loki. You’re incredibly insecure.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e GNASH!\u003cbr\u003e   \u003cbr\u003e   Have I mentioned that I hate this diary?","brand":"Walker Books US","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46303912919269,"sku":"NP9781536233223","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781536233223.jpg?v=1767731664","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/loki-a-bad-gods-guide-to-taking-the-blame-isbn-9781536233223","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}