In a Class by Himself (Big Nate Chapter Book #1)

The cartoons provide plenty of gags at the expense of various adults and classmates, and Nate’s persistent good cheer and moxie make him a likable new proxy for young misfits.

Thank goodness sequels are planned!

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.

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"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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 (whos 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 books appeal lies in Nates 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, its called a Full Godfrey. (When Mrs. Godfrey does it, its 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 812. "(Apr.)" Copyright 2010 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.