Nate Rocks the World (Volume 1) [Paperback]

Karen Pokras Toz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 2011 | Series: Nate Rocks

Ten-year-old Nathan Rockledge cannot catch a break. After all, life as a fourth-grader can be hazardous what with science projects to deal with and recess football games to avoid. Everyone, including his best friend Tommy, seems to have bad luck when hanging around Nathan. Throw in an older sister who is a royal pain, a dad who is stuck in the past, and a mom who keeps trying to poison him with her awful cooking, and poor Nathan’s life as a fourth grader appears to be completely doomed. Armed only with his sketchpad, his imagination, and his wits, Nathan Rockledge navigates the perils of the fourth grade in style, to emerge heroic, as Nate Rocks, proving that even a ten-year-old can accomplish great things. Follow the quirky and imaginative adventures of ten-year-old Nathan Rockledge as his cartoons come to life. www.karentoz.com

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It is hard to find a well-written boys' book that will keep their attention, but Karen Toz does a wonderful job... This is a wonderful page-turner, that will keep your young man engaged during the entire reading."  - Readers' Favorite Book Reviews

"Every chapter is packed with action and fun. Nate Rocks deals with problems and issues that almost every kid can relate to. It was definitely laugh out loud funny. I enthusiastically give this book 5 stars!" - Pam Maynard, momdoesreviews.com

"This is a brilliant book, and I can guarantee that every little kid out there will love this book! I give this a 5/5 and recommend it for kids and parents, and big kids out there!"

-Antimony, ladyantimony.blogspot.com

"Author Karen Pokras Toz has written a great book that is guaranteed to keep your young reader enthralled right to the very end."

-Creating Childhood Memories One Day at A Time

About the Author

Karen Pokras Toz is a writer, wife, and mom. Karen grew up in the small town of Orange, Connecticut and graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Finance. She also attended the University of Richmond, where she studied law and business, receiving both a JD and an MBA. Karen has spent the last several years working as a tax accountant, writing in numbers. She recently discovered a passion for writing with words. Karen enjoys gardening, cooking, and spending time with her husband and three children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (June 30, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1463510829
• ISBN-13: 978-1463510824
• Product Dimensions: 0.3 x 5.4 x 8.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,591,620 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Karen Pokras Toz lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband and three children. Karen's middle grade children's novels: Millicent Marie Is Not My Name and the Nate Rocks series, have won several awards including First Place for Children's Chapter Books and the Grand Prize Overall in the 2012 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, as well as placing first for a Global E-Book Award for Pre-Teen Literature. Karen is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI). Karen recently published her first adult contemporary novel: Chasing Invisible. For more information, please visit www.karentoz.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for my son January 5, 2012

By KristyS

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I picked this book out to upload to my Kindle to "bribe" my son into reading....it's always a fight. He LOVES the book and thinks it is his own autobiography! He too has a 13 year old sister that acts just like Nate's older sister. He read for almost an hour the other night and wouldn't even let me read one page to him, he wanted to do it himself. My son is a 10 year old 4th grader and I could not have found a book more perfectly suited for him! THANK YOU to the author!!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Imaginative boy! October 27, 2011

By D. M. Lawrence

Format:Paperback

Nate Rocks the World!
Nathan Rockledge, aka Nate Rocks, is a highly imaginative 10 year old 4th grader. Nate is not an athlete, in fact he dislikes team sports. He has an older sister (13 years old) who is the bane of his existance. He escapes reality by drawing and daydreaming about being a hero. Nates imagination has him winning the World Series, helping Captain Asteroid save the planet (with prisms from his science project) and save a woman tied to train tracks (spurs can be very useful).

I think this is a wonderful book. The reading level is listed as ages 9-12, this book is perfect for that age group. As the mother of a 10 year old, it can be difficult finding books that capture his attention. Nate Rocks! is such a book. He read it in a day. I knew it was a winner when I heard laughter throughout his reading. When finished, he looked up and said "Is there a second book?"

Ms Toz was able to easily capture the mind and imagination of a 10 year old boy, both Nate and my son. I look forward to more of her books.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Kids Will Love It! October 21, 2011

By D. Pease

Format:Kindle Edition

Nate Rockledge isn't your typical ten-year-old. Even when life throws him curve balls (or kick balls as the case may be) he knows exactly how to have a good time. His imagination takes him from hitting the winning home run, to the wild west, to the reaches of space. Your kids will love riding along with Nate as he jumps from one adventure to the next. They'll enjoy every minute of it, because quite simply, Nate Rocks!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing adventure for kids February 1, 2012

By Ritesh Kala

Format:Paperback

I really did not know what I was getting into when I picked up this book to read. The only thing I knew was that it is absolutely and completely outside the genres I generally read. Why did I pick it up then? For one, I have been trying to expand my reading by getting into completely different genres. You will most likely see me reviewing a chicklit soon! Also, I imagined this to be a `superhero book' and I just couldn't pass up that opportunity. So, here's what I found out through this experiment. I can read genres other than fantasy / scifi / mystery and like them. Also, I found that this book which is suitable for 9-12 year olds to be very interesting. And lastly, this IS a book about superheroes, but not in the traditional "flying, super strength and crime fighting" sense.

Nate is a normal 10-yearold. He has all the problems which every kid that age faces. He does not like sports and is always picked last for everything. His sister, Abby takes pleasure in torturing him at every opportunity. He tries to run away from his mother's horrible cooking, but rarely succeeds. His mother insists on making his Halloween costumes even though she can't sew. His dad is quite cool, but he keeps reminiscing about his childhood and boring the kids with oft-repeated stories. And finally, there is the bane of his life, his classmate Lisa Crane who he just can't stand.

So what does he do to escape from all these problems? Nate has a passion for drawing and gets lost in the world he creates and draws as cartoons. In fact he keeps getting into trouble as this results in him daydreaming in school, at home, with friends and even while playing games.... His stories, which are inspired by life around him, feature him as the hero routinely saving the world from destruction or helping the President in finding a spy. I really liked the fact that in each chapter, we find Nate going on another adventure in this world which he creates. I think this will keep the young readers interested, as they move from one adventure to the next. This also allows the book to be read in parts and helps in kids not getting bored with the story. The author has done a wonderful job of tying these discrete adventures into a wonderful story.

All the characters in the book fit perfectly in their roles and no one seems out of place or forced. Although the story is about a normal family with normal issues, the story moves through at a fast pace and does not drag anywhere. This, I think should be necessary for all MG books. Any place where the story lets up even a little bit can result in kids losing interest and not wanting to push through those sections. With kids reading less every day, a book which can keep them hooked throughout should definitely garner interest from parents.

Finally, I'd like to say that I loved the ending. While reading the book, I was hoping that the ending does not fizzle out. The author definitely did not let me down on that count. When the time comes and real life calls Nate to action, does he step up to the plate and deliver? Can he be a real life hero and actually save the day? Will he be able to step out of his imaginary world, into the real one and do the right thing? I won't give the ending away, and I'd ask you to read the book to find out. All I will tell you is, I loved the ending where two enemies finally seem to become friends, if only for a little while. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Cute and funny December 19, 2011

By KrazyBookLady

Format:Paperback

Poor Nathan. He has a big sister who is a pain and a mom who cannot cook or sew but still insists on making his lunches and his Halloween costumes. He also has to put up with a science project partner who tells her mom everything, who then in turn tells his mom. Is it any wonder he likes to lose himself in his imagination and his sketching? Unfortunately for Nate, he doesn't always get good ideas when his cartoons come to life.

I found Nate Rocks the World to be cute and funny. It reminded me of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but without the illustrations. There is a surprise ending that I did not see coming. This book is geared for approximately ages 7 to 12. In some places, it may be just a little too detailed for the attention spans of the younger ones, and they may lose interest. However, overall, this is a great book to read with the kids in the younger range and for the older kids who enjoy chapter books. It would be very easy for kids this age to relate to Nate. Especially if they also have big imaginations. Wait, what kid doesn't?

(A copy was provided by the author.)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Dynamite! Great read for boys or girls! December 1, 2011

By MomBlogger

Format:Paperback

My Review:
When I saw the cover for Nate Rocks the World, I was immediately interested. As the mom of a 10 year old son who is reluctant to read, I am always on the lookout for books that will draw his interest. His preferences tend to run to books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Captain Underpants. I have purchased numerous books from the stores and through books clubs that I felt would interested a boy his age, only to see them remain on his bookshelves unless cooerced (or bribed) to read them. So when the opportunity came my way to review for author, Karen Pokras Toz, I was excited. To finally find a book that was geared toward my son's reading level and (hopefully) his interest level!

As I read this book, I found some interesting similarities between the main character, Nate Rockledge, and my son. Both boys are 10 years old, in fourth grade, have sisters (though mine is the oldest and does not have an older sister), love drawing comics and using his imagination! What a find! As the story progressed, I myself was entertained by Nate's mind, and his way of dealing with difficulties that most fourth graders deal with. I loved this book from start to finish! My son has just began reading it, and promised to let me know what he thinks so I can post "his review" on Dec 12th during the Nate Rocks the World book tour! I'm hopeful that I'll get more than "it's ok" from him.

Nate Rocks the World is a great book for any boy (or girl) in the 7 to 14 age range, in my opinion. I look forward to reading more by Karen Pokras Toz!

*Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in hopes that I would post a review on my blog. See My Policy & Disclosure for more info ([...])