April 12, 2010
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.

April 1, 2010
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.

"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)

"Though Nate may not achieve the fame he seeks with his classmates, this sharp-witted and unflappable protagonist just might find it with readers." — Publishers Weekly

"Thank goodness sequels are planned!" — Kirkus Reviews

"Laugh-out-loud!" — School Library Journal

"Nate's persistent good cheer and moxie make him a likeable new proxy for young misfits." — Booklist

"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

"This series will keep you laughing and rooting for Nate, no matter what." — Brightly

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 STRIKES AGAIN: "Fans will be in heaven; thank goodness number three is already on the way." — Kirkus Reviews

Praise for BIG NATE ON A ROLL: "[T]he slickest of this series...On a roll indeed!" — Kirkus Reviews (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