Dante N. Ferno Is Not a Loser

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

Author: Brian Gordon
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr)
Published: 02/03/2026
Pages: 256
Weight: 1lbs
Size: 8.25h x 5.38w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9780374395018
Language: English