Big Nate: In a Class by Himself [Hardcover]

Lincoln Peirce (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 23, 2010 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Big Nate

Big Nate is in a class by himself!

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!

Nate keeps his cool. He knows he's destined for greatness. A fortune cookie told him so.

For fans of the ever popular, ever hilarious Diary of a Wimpy Kid series: Get ready to meet Big Nate!

Editorial Reviews

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
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From Booklist

Unabashedly capitalizing on the Wimpy Kid wave (with a Jeff Kinney blurb-recommendation splashed across the cover), Peirce’s book, for a slightly younger audience, uses a mix of prose and cartoons to tell a quick story about a day in the life of an extroverted, impish kid. Peirce does have comics cred on his side: his hero, Nate, has been the star of a long-running daily comic strip. He is the classic clever kid who hates school and whose antics land him in ever-hotter water with grumbly teachers. On this particular day, he wakes up feeling fine, sweats a bit about an upcoming test, then opens a fortune cookie at school that reads, “Today you will surpass all others.” So, he dutifully goes about trying to best other kids at everything but seems to only have a knack for racking up detention slips. 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. Grades 3-6. --Ian Chipman

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (March 23, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061944343
• ISBN-13: 978-0061944345
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,816 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #90 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > School

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

73 of 91 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars My son will not be reading this, August 30, 2010

By 

PPL "pru" (Frederic, WI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Big Nate: In a Class by Himself (Hardcover)

This was a birthday gift for my 8 year old son but I read it over before giving it to him. I don't understand the enthusiasm for this book. Why can't a writer produce a book that engages boys without filling it with sarcasm and disrespect directed toward adults? I also wasn't too happy with some of the language (moron, stupid, shut your big fat mouth, etc.) The entire book is filled with the character ridiculing others. I could go on and on. Maybe if my son was older and I was trying desperately to get him to read something, I would settle for this. As an adult, I found some passages funny. But this book isn't meant for an adult, it is meant for a child.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My son can't stop reading and laughing!, May 10, 2010

By 

Atticus "Atticus" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Big Nate: In a Class by Himself (Hardcover)

My son loved the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and I was desperate to find another book that he enjoyed reading as much. Well, this is the book. I think he likes it better than the Wimpy Kid series. He carries it with him wherever he goes and asks to stay up and read!! I LOVE this book! To any parent who wants to help their child learn to love reading, this is a good choice. I hope there are more.....

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4th Grader LOVES this book, October 26, 2010

By 

J. Mathy "jmathy" (Danbury, CT USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Big Nate: In a Class by Himself (Hardcover)

My son could not put this book down. He loved the irreverent humor, the use of comic-like panels to move the story along, and the character. First thing he asked when he finished it -- do they have other "Big Nate" books? Happily, they do!