My Weirdtastic School #11: Mr. DiPilla Is a Gorilla!

By Dan Gutman, Jim Paillot

On Sale: 5/5/2026

With more than 36 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! In this eleventh book of the My Weirdtastic School arc, can a mysterious new mascot at Ella Mentry School help the kids beat their rivals?

A.J. and his friends lost the spelling bee to those pesky kids at Dirk School. Could Dirk’s school mascot have anything to do with it? It quickly becomes clear that Ella Mentry School will need a mascot if they ever want to win again!

Then, a mysterious gorilla mascot shows up at Ella Mentry School. His presence starts raising morale—he even makes A.J. like coming to school! But will the rise of school spirit be enough to help A.J. and Andrea beat Dirk School in the geography bee, or is this competition set to be another embarrassing defeat?

Perfect for reluctant readers and all kids hungry for funny school stories, Dan Gutman’s hugely popular My Weird School chapter book series has something for everyone. Don’t miss the hilarious adventures of A.J. and his friends! 

ISBN: 9780063374089
Imprint: HarperCollins
On Sale: May 5, 2026
List price: $24.99
No of pages: 112
Trim Size: 6.600 in (w) x 9.030 in (h) x 1.400 in (d)
BISAC 1: JUVENILE FICTION / Readers / Chapter Books
BISAC 2: JUVENILE FICTION / School & Education
BISAC 3: JUVENILE FICTION / Humorous Stories

Dan Gutman

Biography

Dan Gutman is the New York Times bestselling author of the Genius Files series; the Baseball Card Adventure series, which has sold more than 2 million copies around the world; and the My Weird School series, which has sold more than 37 million copies. Thanks to his many fans who voted in their classrooms, Dan has received nineteen state book awards and ninety-two state book award nominations. He lives in New York City with his wife. You can visit him online at dangutman.com.

Jim Paillot

Biography

Jim Paillot lives in Arizona (another weird place) with his weird wife and two weird children. Isn’t that weird? You can visit him on his weird website at jimpaillot.com.

With more than 36 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! In this eleventh book of the My Weirdtastic School arc, can a mysterious new mascot at Ella Mentry School help the kids beat their rivals?

A.J. and his friends lost the spelling bee to those pesky kids at Dirk School. Could Dirk’s school mascot have anything to do with it? It quickly becomes clear that Ella Mentry School will need a mascot if they ever want to win again!

Then, a mysterious gorilla mascot shows up at Ella Mentry School. His presence starts raising morale—he even makes A.J. like coming to school! But will the rise of school spirit be enough to help A.J. and Andrea beat Dirk School in the geography bee, or is this competition set to be another embarrassing defeat?

Perfect for reluctant readers and all kids hungry for funny school stories, Dan Gutman’s hugely popular My Weird School chapter book series has something for everyone. Don’t miss the hilarious adventures of A.J. and his friends! 

ISBN: 9780063374089
Imprint: HarperCollins
On Sale: May 5, 2026
List price: $24.99
No of pages: 112
Trim Size: 6.600 in (w) x 9.030 in (h) x 1.400 in (d)
BISAC 1: JUVENILE FICTION / Readers / Chapter Books
BISAC 2: JUVENILE FICTION / School & Education
BISAC 3: JUVENILE FICTION / Humorous Stories

Dan Gutman

Biography

Dan Gutman is the New York Times bestselling author of the Genius Files series; the Baseball Card Adventure series, which has sold more than 2 million copies around the world; and the My Weird School series, which has sold more than 37 million copies. Thanks to his many fans who voted in their classrooms, Dan has received nineteen state book awards and ninety-two state book award nominations. He lives in New York City with his wife. You can visit him online at dangutman.com.

Jim Paillot

Biography

Jim Paillot lives in Arizona (another weird place) with his weird wife and two weird children. Isn’t that weird? You can visit him on his weird website at jimpaillot.com.