Super Dweeb and the Pencil of Destiny

Super Dweeb #1

by Jess Bradley

"With fast-paced action and absurd humor [...] Super Dweeb in an exciting new series for fans of Captain Underpants or Diary of a Wimpy Kid" - SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

"A funny, fast-paced and zany adventure bursting with colourful cartoon-style illustrations" - BOOK TRUST

Andy wishes that he had * awesome powers* , like the heroes of his home-made comic stories. But instead, he's stuck in the real world, where he has an annoying little brother, a super-weird teacher ... and everyone says he's a total dweeb .

Then one day, he discovers an oversized, glowing pencil on a school trip to the local toxic waste dump. He starts sketching and finds that he can redraw reality.

Now, thanks to the power of doodling, Andy can bring to life anything that he can imagine, erase his problems, and doodle his way of sticky situations. He's not just a dweeb ... he's a SUPER DWEEB ! Even Mona, the ice-cool new girl at school, seems impressed.

But there's a twist in the tale.. because everything goes very wrong when little brother Oscar does some doodling of his own. Now there's a scribble monster on the loose! Run for it, Andy!

The first of the hilarious new Super Dweeb series, this unpredictable, anarchic adventure story will have kids rolling on the floor. Featuring comic-strip-style storytelling in full-color, this chapter book is perfect for readers aged 7-9.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Humor, Comics

64 pages, Library Binding

Published September 1, 2025

About the author

I'm an illustrator and character designer based in Bristol, England. I graduated from UWE Bristol in 2003 with a BA HONS in Illustration (First) and have been doodling a living ever since. My clients have included Capstone Publishing, Igloo Books, Top That! Publishing, Quarto, UK Apparel, Genki Gear, Tick Tock Books, UK Greetings, Air Emirates and Carlton Books.

My work is cute, colourful and quirky and I love nothing more than designing ooddles of characters. I make a lot of my own goods including stickers, postccards, prints, greetings cards, keyrings, badges and original paintings. I can be found at several UK comic book conventions.

Although I use digital colouring in my work, I still hand-draw everything before scanning because I think wobbly lines are awesome.

I enjoy whittling away the hours by drawing, playing video games (Bomberman and We Love Katamari are my favourites), watching films, reading real books and comics and drinking as much tea as my puny bladder can hold.

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is my 8-year-old's favorite new thing, and when he asked me to read this first book in it with him (after he'd already devoured both of the first two books himself multiple times), I totally got it. It's a fabulously funny adventure for young readers with the tone and comics-and-text blend of Captain Underpants (but with WAY more great female characters). I'm looking forward to reading the second one with him, too!

[Corey Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute, quick, and fun. I think this book (and the subsequent entries in the series) will find a loving home in the hands of kids that are fans of Captain Underpants and the Wimpy Kid books. Although it's not as gross-out as Captain Underpants, it exudes the same frenetic and self-aware energy that makes the aforementioned books so popular.

[Barbara Band · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect book for engaging both avid and reluctant readers with a funny adventurous story about a super pencil that is capable of redrawing reality - and who wouldn't want to be able to do that? - although "with great pencil comes great responsibility".

The format is delightfully engaging with graphic novel style pages interspersed with others filled with bright colourful cartoon illustrations. There's a great use of space on the page as well as different font styles to maintain interest. Aimed at 7 - 9 years, this book spans both KS1 and KS2 and would definitely earn its place in any school library.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via Arcturus books.

Super Dweeb and the pencil of destiny is a fun, fast paced new super hero comic book style book for primary school aged children.
This book is fun, whitty and colourful and is sure to be a hit with all children.
Fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dork Diaries or Captain Underpants will love this new series. Although only 64 pages, this book was super fun and really imaginative.
Can't wait to see what happens in book two!

[Mehsi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gelezen in het NL. Dus dit is hoe het is begonnen! Haha, geweldig dat een schoolreisje naar een nuclear eiland gaat, tja wat kan er mis gaan. XD Ik vond Kato ook een tof karakter en leuk om te zien hoe zij vrienden is geworden met Max. Ook komisch dat het hem niet lukt om handen te tekenen, goh dat is wel echt een tekenaar ding blijkbaar. Het broertje vond ik hier minder, erg vervelend. Maar wel leuk hoe het verhaal loopt, spannend, met leuke tekeningen. Ook leuk het wisselen tussen stukjes met tekst en dan weer strips.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy is a geek or a dweeb, or whatever you want to call him. He is not cool. Mona the new girl is super cool. Andy wants to be her friend. And she turns out to not want him as a friend, but she does talk back to the bullies, and holds her own, and they have a mutual understanding, which is kind of like friendship.

Andy likes to draw, so he takes his pencil with him to Fallout Island, which is a school field trip, which seems rather odd, but that's where his teacher wants them to go, so they do.

And that's how he gets his super pencil. His pencil of destiny. The rest of the book is how the pencil has magic powers, that anything you draw with it becomes real for ten minutes.

Hilarity follows soon after, of course.

Fun story, and I presume the first in a series.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review

[Carissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book straddles the line between illustrated novel and graphic novel. Basic plot -- normal pencil is hit with radiation (of course) and becomes a super pencil where anything it draws comes to life. for 10 minutes. this could be DANGEROUS IN THE WRONG HANDS and so of course, it falls into the wrong hands. Toddler hands! Cute, fun, quick read.

[Freya Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is graphic novel and it was really good and l gave it five star because it is not like any other book because it is about a boy who really likes drawing and the book pretends he does some of the pictures and he goes through arguments with his brother and gets bullied by mean Mike and his gang and I would recommend to anyone aged 9-11.

[Iamreddave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fun read for kids. Great characters to copy.

[Crystal Palmisano-Dillard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Milo would love this.

[Bear Bahoochie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

I loved how he had a Mexican sumo wresting best
And Jess Bradley over all is amazing for comics
Recommend

[Dony Grayman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una serie que no esperaba ver editada en Argentina pero que quedó bastante bien.

[Yaseira Jayaseelan · Rating 5 out of 5]

He is a dweeb just like me!

[Joy Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I can see this book very popular with fans of similar graphic novels such as Dog Man, Captain Underpants, Big Nate, etc.

The story is funny, the art work is a delight, the writing is good, The book is half comic book style and half graphic novel, and with a diverse characters. I like how the two main characters are visible minorities.

Overall, wonderful book, its going to be a huge hit.