Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie Kingsley
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Tale of magic-impaired underdog on quest is slow, overdone.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In CONFESSIONS OF A DORK LORD, young Wick is the orphaned heir to the Dark Lord, trying to survive Middle Ages School and to live up to his destiny to take over where his dad left off. Trouble is, Wick is only 12, he's shorter than the others at his school, gets picked on, can't do magic, has allergies that get in the way, and lives with a guardian who feeds him eel soup and gives him what Wick thinks are the worst chores in the castle. But when the mighty scepter disappears, Wick decides to go on a quest to retrieve it, even if that means going into the Ice Castle of his enemies. What he doesn't consider is that he will have company on his journey ...
Is It Any Good?
Fantasy books are filled with epic quests and underdogs and magic, and sometimes humor, and this one doesn't offer anything new. Confessions of a Dork Lord takes a long time to tell its story, and the story feels like a rewrite of other funny fantasy adventures with more convoluted names and descriptions. Wick's quest seems forced, and there's somehow both too much and not enough detail throughout. There are some funny moments with spells that younger readers might enjoy, but they'll need to wade through pages of text to get there.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what kind of pressure Wick feels in Confessions of a Dork Lord. If his dad wasn't such a legend, do you think Wick would feel the same pressure to succeed at magic? How would that change his outlook?
What could Wick do to improve his situation without going on the quest? Is that his only option?
What other funny books about magic and fantasy have you read?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Marta Altes
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Friendship , School ( Middle School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : January 28, 2020
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 352
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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