Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
(Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody)

Author

Patrick Ness

Illustrator

Tim Miller

Publication Date

September 03, 2024

Genre / Grade Band

Fiction / 4^th − 5^th

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody (Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody)

Hardcover

Description

From the best-selling author of A Monster Calls, this funny, wise middle-grade series explodes every stereotype--including what it means to be a hero--in a brilliant reptilian take on surviving school.

When Principal Wombat makes monitor lizards Zeke, Daniel, and Alicia hall monitors, Zeke gives up on popularity at his new school. Brought in as part of a district blending program, the monitor lizards were mostly ignored before. Reptiles aren't bullied any more than other students, but they do stick out among zebras, ostriches, and elk. Why would Principal Wombat make them hall monitors? Alicia explains that it's because mammals are afraid of being yelled (hissed) at by reptiles. The principal's just a good general, deploying her resources. Zeke balks, until he gets on the wrong side of Pelicarnassus. More than a bully, the pelican is a famed international supervillain--at least when his mother isn't looking. Maybe the halls are a war zone, and the school needs a hero. Too bad it isn't . . . Zeke. Smart, relatable, and densely illustrated in black and white for graphic appeal, this middle-grade series debut by a revered author returns to his themes of grief, bullying, and negotiating differences--but with zeal and comic relief to spare.

Publication date

September 03, 2024

Classification

Fiction

Page Count

208

ISBN-13

9781536235937

Lexile Measure

Guided Reading Level

Publisher

Walker Books Us

Series

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody

BISAC categories

Library of Congress categories

ALA/Booklist

Starred Review

Sure to amuse and even move young middle-graders.

Kirkus

Starred Review

Heart and weirdness in equal measure prove you should never underestimate the power of a lizard!

Publishers Weekly

In this sincere, absurd anthropomorphic take on middle school, a young monitor lizard finds things spiraling out of control when he accidentally antagonizes the school bully. After being appointed hall monitor (not because he's a monitor lizard--that's just a coincidence), Zeke runs afoul of the bellicose pelican son of an international supervillain, classmate Pelicarnassus, who vows to make Zeke regret his actions. Now Zeke and his friends--effervescent Daniel and patient Alicia, both lizards, as well as hawk Miel, who is blind--must contend with a foe capable of procuring lasers and invading France (which is located on Zeke's knee due to a curse placed upon his "great-great-great-great (or possibly great-great-great-great-great) grandfather"). Meanwhile, Zeke's mother navigates persistent sadness about the death of his father; her grief is depicted as a black dog that "hung around his mom like a cloud." Using over-the-top prose, Ness (Different for Boys) details characters tackling mundane yet serious issues surrounding economic disparity, school violence, anger management, and self-image in a tale that is both deeply relatable and humorously off-kilter. Expressively goofy ink line illustrations by Miller (Izzy Paints) add whimsy and warmth. Ages 8-12. Author's agent: Michelle Kass, Michelle Kass Associates. Illustrator's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Sept.)

Patrick Ness

Patrick Ness is the New York Times best-selling author of A Monster Calls (inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd), which won both the Carnegie Medal and the Kate Greenaway Medal, was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist, and was made into a major motion picture for which he wrote the screenplay. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed and best-selling Chaos Walking trilogy, More Than This, Release, Different for Boys, The Rest of Us Just Live Here, and Burn. His many accolades include two Carnegie Medals, an Olivier Award, the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Book Trust Teenage Prize, and the Costa Children's Book Award. Patrick Ness lives in Los Angeles.

Tim Miller is the author-illustrator of Moo Moo in a Tutu, What's Cooking, Moo Moo?, Tiny Kitty, Big City, and Izzy Paints. He is also the illustrator of Horse Meets Dog by Elliott Kalan, Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book) and Snappsy the Alligator And His Best Friend Forever! (Probably) by Julie Falatko, Margarash by Mark Riddle, and the middle-grade series Hamstersaurus Rex by Tom O'Donnell. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and three rescue cats.

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Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
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