Big Nate: In a Class by Himself (Big Nate Series #1)

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Big Nate: In a Class by Himself (Big Nate Series #1)

Paperback(Reprint)

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Paperback(Reprint)
$7.99

View All Available Formats & Editions

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Overview

For fans of the hilarious Diary of a Wimpy Kid series: Get ready to meet Big Nate! In the first novel in the New York Times bestselling series, Big Nate is in a class by himself!

Nate knows he’s meant for big things. REALLY big things. But things don’t always go your way just because you’re awesome. Nate barely survives his dad’s toxic oatmeal before rushing off to school—minus his lunch. He body slams the no-nonsense principal. He accidentally insults his least favorite teacher, the horrifying Mrs. Godfrey (aka Godzilla). And school has barely started!

Trouble always seems to find him, but Nate keeps his cool. He knows he’s destined for greatness. A fortune cookie told him so.

Here comes BIG NATE, accidental mischief maker and definitely NOT the teacher’s pet.

Product Details
About the Author

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062283597
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	03/10/2015
Series:	Big Nate Series , #1
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	12,809
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.62(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Lincoln Peirce (pronounced "purse") is a cartoonist/writer and New York Times bestselling author of the hilarious Big Nate book series (www.bignatebooks.com), now published in twenty-five countries worldwide and available as ebooks and audiobooks and as an app, Big Nate: Comix by U! He is also the creator of the comic strip Big Nate. It appears in over three hundred U.S. newspapers and online daily at www.gocomics.com/bignate. Lincoln's boyhood idol was Charles Schulz of Peanuts fame, but his main inspiration for Big Nate has always been his own experience as a sixth grader. Just like Nate, Lincoln loves comics, ice hockey, and Cheez Doodles (and dislikes cats, figure skating, and egg salad). His Big Nate books have been featured on Good Morning America and in the Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and the Washington Post. He has also written for Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. Lincoln lives with his wife and two children in Portland, Maine.

From the B&N Reads Blog

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Editorial Reviews

Many laugh-out-loud moments...There is so much to like here...The millions of Wimpy Kid fans will be thrilled to find another cartoon buddy to read about, this good-hearted king of detention.

Horn Book (starred review)

Fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, or of Nate himself will savor P.S. 38’s most beleaguered hero.What carries the day are the zany illustrations and unflagging enthusiasm of Nate himself.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Praise for BIG NATE STRIKES AGAIN: “The millions of Wimpy Kid fans will be thrilled to find another cartoon buddy to read about, this good-hearted king of detention.

The Horn Book (starred review)

Praise for BIG NATE ON A ROLL: “Nate is often compared to Jeff Kinney’s Wimpy Kid and will appeal to the same audience, he bears more resemblance to the tricksters of folklore...the interplay between text and pictures remains fresh, as does the distinction between Peirce’s cartoons and Nate’s own cartoons.

The Horn Book

Nate’s persistent good cheer and moxie make him a likeable new proxy for young misfits.

Booklist

Sixth grader Nate Wright doesn't excel in much at P.S.38. He's not as smart as his best friend Francis nor as lamely funny as his other best friend Teddy, and he's certainly not (unfortunately) successful at everything, like his annoying older sister Ellen. So when Teddy slips Nate a fortune cookie and the fortune reads "Today you will surpass all others," Nate is stoked. Just how will he surpass all others? Every time he tries anything-like making grumpy Mr. Gavin laugh or breaking the speed-eating world record by snarfing down a mountain of slimy green beans-he ends up getting detention. This really seems more like a candidate for Worst Day Ever! Peirce skillfully and often hilariously imports his comic-strip character into a full-length story. The many comic strips, some drawn by Nate on lined paper and others featuring him as a character, and copious spot illustrations move the story along to a conclusion some may see coming but all will enjoy. Perfect for fans of Jeff Kinney's Wimpy Kid. Thank goodness sequels are planned. Final art not seen. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 7-11)

Kirkus Reviews

Star of a long-running comic strip, sixth-grader Nate Wright makes the leap to a cartoon-laden chapter book in the smart alecky vein of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Nate (who’s “not exactly Joe Honor Roll”) dissects the horrors of middle school, from vindictive teachers to the popular girls’ lunch table, aka Fort Knox (“You can try to get in, but you have no chance”). The wisp of a plot revolves around a fortune cookie that predicts, “Today you will surpass all others,” launching Nate into actions that indeed cause him to surpass all others with seven detentions. (His ill-conceived plans include speed-eating 148 servings of cafeteria green beans.) The book’s appeal lies in Nate’s wickedly astute observations and the savvy integration of cartoons with text. Angry teachers’ speech bubbles drip with icicles, and sidebars house humorous asides: “When a teacher completely snaps and starts screaming, it’s called a Full Godfrey. (When Mrs. Godfrey does it, it’s called Monday).” Though Nate may not achieve the fame he seeks with his classmates, this sharp-witted and unflappable protagonist just might find it with readers. Ages 8-12. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, or of Nate himself will savor P.S. 38’s most beleaguered hero.What carries the day are the zany illustrations and unflagging enthusiasm of Nate himself."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Many laugh-out-loud moments...There is so much to like here...The millions of Wimpy Kid fans will be thrilled to find another cartoon buddy to read about, this good-hearted king of detention."

Horn Book

Trouble starts when Big Nate gets a fortune cookie that tells him, "Today you will surpass all others." He takes it to heart and for the rest of the book tries to discover exactly in what way he will do that. As the day wears on, and as Nate gets detention slips for bad behavior in one class after another, he decides to take matters into his own hands. He tries to break the world record for eating green beans, with disastrous results. He thinks that he has finally done it when he finishes a math pop quiz before anyone else, only to find out later that he forgot to answer the questions on the back of the page. As the day ends with Nate sitting in detention, and the fortune seemingly unfulfilled, Mrs. Czerwicki, the detention monitor, asks him how many detention slips he actually has. The answer is seven, and Mrs. Czerwicki confirms that no one has ever gotten seven detention slips before. Nate is the new record holder. He has, indeed, surpassed all others. This is a funny book with a witty plot, but there are some drawbacks. The book contains many stand-alone vignettes throughout; these are comical, but many do not contribute anything to the plot. In fact, the plot does not really get going until the first third of the book is over. While some children will be entertained by all the diversions, others may find the technique distracting. In any event, this would probably be a good book for boys who may think that reading is not fun, or who are having trouble getting motivated to read. This book is derived from the "Big Nate" comic strip presents his adventures in a graphic novel. Reviewer: Leona Illig

Children's Literature - Leona Illig

Gr 4–6—Nate is a sixth grader who has a problem with organization. Everything is going wrong, and he's piling up detention after detention. Things start to improve when he gets a fortune cookie with a message stating that he will "surpass all others," giving him a purpose for the day and leading to humorous incidents such as when he tries to beat a speed record for eating green beans, and when he tickles his science teacher with a feather duster. This fully developed protagonist debuted in a comic strip; this is Peirce's first book about him, and it is a successful, laugh-out-loud venture. Readers meet a variety of characters, each with a unique personality or trait. Peirce's black-and-white ink illustrations, whether they are comics Nate has drawn or other funny images, help to develop the story. Big Nate will fill in gaps in collections that are looking for books for reluctant readers, and for Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Abrams) read-alikes.—Lora Van Marel, Orland Park Public Library, IL

School Library Journal

Customer Reviews

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