Review: Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Hardcover: 224 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins 1 edition (March 23, 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0061944343

ISBN-13: 978-0061944345

Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.6 x 0.8 inches

Shipping Weight: 3 pounds




BIG Nate: In a Class By Himself by Lincoln Peirce


From School Library Journal


Grade 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



What I thought about the book...


BIG Nate Books


This was a funny book. It really was a lot like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

The whole book is the duration of one day about how Nate is trying to "surpass all others." This being known, it was not a long book. I would not call it a "great" book, seeing as it only took me a few hours to read.

This book was surely written for younger kids, maybe 9-12, although it was rather enjoyable for me. :) with this in mind, it was written for young kids, but, like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, is enjoyable for a few older peoples.

- Austin