Nate the great goes undercover [Hardcover]

Marjorie Weinman Sharmat (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1989 | Series: Nate the Great

First and second graders' "favorite private eye solves the case of Oliver's scattered garbage in those short, easy sentences that Sharmat transforms into crisp, tough-guy humor."--Kirkus Reviews, pointered review.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Nate the Great has his first night case! "Detective work is not fun and games," Nate explains. "Detective work is dirty garbage cans instead of clean beds. Detective work is banana peels, dishrags, milk cartons, floor sweepings, cigar ashes, fleas, and me..."

It's a tough case. Somebody is raiding Oliver's garbage can each night, but who? The list of suspects is long--Rosamond and Esmeralda, the girls down the street; Rosamond's cats; and all the shrews, moles skunks, birds, and racoons in the neighborhood. Nate courageousely encounters a skunk (nose first) and a telephone pole (head on), but not until he goes under cover of the garbage-can lid does he narrow the suspects down to one. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From the Inside Flap

Nate the Great has his first night case! "Detective work is not fun and games," Nate explains. "Detective work is dirty garbage cans instead of clean beds. Detective work is banana peels, dishrags, milk cartons, floor sweepings, cigar ashes, fleas, and me..."

It's a tough case. Somebody is raiding Oliver's garbage can each night, but who? The list of suspects is long--Rosamond and Esmeralda, the girls down the street; Rosamond's cats; and all the shrews, moles skunks, birds, and racoons in the neighborhood. Nate courageousely encounters a skunk (nose first) and a telephone pole (head on), but not until he goes under cover of the garbage-can lid does he narrow the suspects down to one. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 47 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (March 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0698206436
• ISBN-13: 978-0698206434
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,414,499 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Marjorie Weinman Sharmat has written every Nate the Great book. Here she collaborates with her husband, Mitchell Sharmat. They live in Tucson, Arizona.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who Is The Garbage Snatcher?, October 11, 2002

By 

Mel Odom (Moore, OK USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nate the Great Goes Undercover (Paperback)

Nate the Great, the youngest detective to ever deliver tough guy lines, is summoned to his newest case by his next door neighbor, Oliver. Oliver is something of a pest because he follows people. It doesn't matter who they are or where they're going, if they catch Oliver's eye he will follow them. He's followed Nate the Great around on a lot of the cases Nate has been given to find things his friends have lost. Oliver's problem sets Nate on his first night case as a detective. Someone is stealing from Oliver's garbage can and dumping the rest all over the place. Reluctantly, Nate the Great takes the case and is followed by Oliver. Along the way, Nate finds out what Rosamond's four cats will eat. It is a very long list, and not at all what Nate needs to know. Researching the case also leads Nate to the local library to study nocturnal animals. However, the real culprit who is stealing Oliver's garbage is a major surprise!

Marjorie Weinman Sharmat is the author of over twenty Nate the Great adventures, including NATE THE GREAT STALKS STUPIDWEED, NATE THE GREAT AND THE BORING BEACH BAG, NATE THE GREAT AND THE HALLOWEEN HUNT, and NATE THE GREAT AND THE MUSHY VALENTINE. She has written dozens of books for young readers. She named Nate the Great after her father. Her books have been named as Children's Choice books and Junior Literary Guild selections, and been picked as Books of the Year by the Library of Congress.

As usual, Majorie Weinman Sharmat writes a sharp and smartly told tale. Nate the Great is one of the best fictional heroes to ever come about for young readers and pre-readers. Reading one of the Nate the Great books to a pre-reader is a fantastic privilege. The first-person, clipped dialogue is pure pleasure for the reader willing to do "voices." Annie and her dog Fang were absent from this adventure and long-time readers will miss them, but Oliver and Rosamond are there, as well as the usual stumbling blocks Nate encounters. And pancakes-lots and lots of pancakes. The author's clues are there, though, and many alert readers will figure out the solution to the garbage-snatching mystery one step ahead of Nate, which is the best place to figure those things out. Marc Simont's artwork is simple and elegant as always, adding to the enjoyment.

Young readers will enjoy the whole Nate the Great series because the tales are told in a familiar fashion and involve a solid cast of characters that return book after book. These books are also some of the best to choose for read-alouds to pre-readers or for the last story before bedtime because they can be read in just a few moments. The Nate the Great mysteries are fun and addictive for both parent and child.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Stinky Surprise, January 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Nate the Great Under (Hardcover)

Nate the Great is a cool detective who solves lots of mysteries. In this story he is trying to find out who is dumping Oliver's trash. We liked it when Nate the Great went undercover to solve the case. The best part was when Nate runs into a "Stinky Surprise"! We think this is a great book for all second graders.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nate the Great, January 18, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Nate the Great Goes Undercover (Paperback)

Nate the Great Goes Undercover

Written by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

If you like to solve mysteries, you would like to read Nate the Great Goes Undercover by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. Nate the Great has a challenge ahead of him. The challenge is: Who is tipping over Oliver's garbage can? Nate and his dog Sludge set out at night to solve the mystery. They ask friends, look for clues, and they get down and dirty trying to find out what's happening to Oliver's garbage.

Nate the Great books are really fun to read because there is always a surprise at the end. Are you ready to solve a mystery? Pick up Nate the Great Goes Undercover and you will not be disappointed.

Written by: Devan