Book Review: Big Nate Makes The Grade

Book: Big Nate Makes The Grade by Lincoln Peirce

Edition: Paperback

Description:

At P.S. 38, sixth-grader Nate Wright is known for many things: his knack for making mischief; his overstuffed locker that's half garbage dump, half treasure trove; and of course, his unbreakable school record for detentions. Nate may be a chess phenom, but in the classroom, he's not so masterful -- especially compared to Gina, the grade-grubbing brainiac who gives teacher's pets everywhere a bad name.

In Big Nate Makes the Grade, follow the hilarious adventures of Nate, his pals, and his long-suffering teachers from the first day of school to the start of summer vacation.



Rating: 5 stars

Review:

There is no other way to describe Nate Wright other than being a total pain. He annoys everyone from his family and friends to his classmates and teachers. Well, that's the thing about Nate he tends to cause nothing but trouble and while he's at school he often times winds up in detention.

In Big Nate Makes The Grade, it's the start of another school year and Nate is continuing to do his bare minimum in his classes and with his homework assignments. And what I find interesting is that Nate is a natural at playing chess but when it comes to his education he's a total slacker. He doesn't apply any of his discipline or skills he uses for the game to do his best in school.

It's so funny to see the looks of dread on his teachers' (and sometimes his friends') faces whenever Nate is talking to them because he always end up saying something either upsetting or annoying. Out of all of his teachers, I think he irritates Mrs. Godfrey the most. He has an ongoing rivalry with his classmate Gina, who he considers to be the ultimate teacher's pet. He decided to run against her for class treasurer not because he wanted the position but because he doesn't like her. He also has a one sided rivalry with another classmate Artur, Nate is absolutely annoyed by how nice Artur is and tried to change him.

Nate really does have a penchant for getting into trouble which makes for a fun read. I love reading the Big Nate books because I never get tired of reading about Nate's ridiculous antics. 

Book Review: Big Nate: Thunka, Thunka, Thunka

Book: Big Nate: Thunka, Thunka, Thunka by Lincoln Peirce

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

There's never a dull moment with Nate Wright in the picture. Whether getting caught playing table football in the library or raiding the teachers' lounge, Nate's antics are always hilarious and detention worthy!

Sixth grade can be a tension convention for Nate Wright.  His baseball team’s just been given the lamest name in Little League history; he’s on the verge of becoming know-it-all Gina’s personal servant for a day; and Spitsy, the closest thing he has to a dog of his own, is in love with a CAT. 

Yup, Nate’s up to his ears in stress.  Luckily, the perfect remedy is close at hand:  an empty plastic soda bottle.  All Nate has to do is drum it gently against his head — thunka, thunka, thunka -- and the pressures of dealing with Coach John, Mrs. Godfrey, and the terrifying Kim Cressly begin to fade away. Who knew an empty bottle could be so therapeutic? There’s only one stress-buster that’s better:  reading Big Nate comics!  So sit back, relax, and enjoy this latest collection, Thunka, Thunka, Thunka.


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Big Nate: Thunka, Thunka, Thunka is another fun read. In this collection, Nate Wright continues to get into trouble making me laugh so hard at all the ridiculous things he does such as being reluctant to buy his sister a Christmas gift. Yet when he does, it turned into a big mess.

He also made a bet with one of his classmates Gina that he could go a whole week without getting detention which for Nate is a huge feat. This had a surprising ending.

Nate doesn't always get into trouble he did try to help out a little girl for the Book Buddies program even if she was a little scary. Okay a lot scary but he did his best to help her. He also tried to get his favorite channel 12 meteorologist Wink Summers his job back with a petition despite everyone favoring the new guy Chip Cavendish.

There was so much to laugh at in this book such as Nate being mad that his dog Spitsy is in love with his friend Francis' cat Pickles. I know these Big Nate comics are supposed to be for kids but I would consider them to be for all ages because I think there is something for everyone to laugh at.

Book Review: Big Nate: Welcome to My World

Book: Big Nate: Welcome to My World by Lincoln Peirce

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication Date: September 15, 2015

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Description:

Join Big Nate and his classmates Gina, Artur, Francis, Jenny, and Teddy, as they navigate the halls of P.S. 38. One thing's for sure: Nate is definitely not the teacher's pet!

Aspiring cartoonist Nate Wright is eleven years old, four-and-a-half feet tall, and the all-time record holder for detentions in school history. He's a self-described genius and sixth-grade Renaissance Man who lives with his dad and older sister and enjoys pestering his family and teachers with his sarcasm.


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Nate Wright and trouble go hand in hand, even when he's trying to be good he some how manages to get into trouble.

This latest edition had a very good collection of comics which includes Nate's grandparents attending Grandparents Day at his school and got to experience a day in his life from the terrible food in the cafeteria to attending all his classes. They met many of his friends and teachers including Nate's least favorite teacher Mrs. Godfrey.

With summer vacation approaching, Nate really wanted to get a B in Social Studies at the end of the semester however his reason is mainly to prove to know-it-all Gina that he could do it. But studying isn't something that Nate is good at and with no desire to study with Francis who can he get to help him? Believe it or not he got help from Peter, a 1st grader but a very smart 1st grader.

Summer vacation wasn't all fun and relaxation with Nate taking junior lifeguard classes and dealing with Coach John and his unique technique to teaching. But he did find a good reason for him and Teddy to join Francis' book club although that reason is the snacks being served. And speaking of snacks, Nate's dad was making him cut back on eating his favorite treat, Cheez Doodles. There is no way he is going to be able to deal with that but his dad is going to make sure he sticks with it.

These are just a few of the many comics in the book that also includes Nate's disappointing first day back to school to trying keep his dad from passing out awful snack for Halloween but somehow he always does.

I love reading these Big Nate comics and although they are geared towards children/middle grade readers I think they make a fun read for all ages.

Book Review for Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon book #2: Big Nate: Say Good-Bye To Dork City

Book: Big Nate: Say Good-Bye To Dork City by Lincoln Peirce

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication Date: March 17, 2015

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Reading these Big Nate books never feels like a chore. In this book, Nate Wright continues to annoy everyone in his life: his father, sister, friends and teachers. He hasn't given up on his crush on Jenny who really can't stand him.

Also in this book, Nate decides he's going to be cool and tries to hang out with one of the coolest kids at school, Marcus. That old saying, "the grass is always greener on the other side" is a perfect fit for Nate's situation because as soon as he started hanging out with Marcus and the other guys, he found out that it wasn't any fun and he would rather go back to hanging out with his old friends: Francis and Teddy.

This was another funny book with a good group of stories. Nate's far from being perfect but that's the fun of reading these books. Also a plus for this book, ALL of the comics were in color.

Currently Reading for Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon book #2: Big Nate: Say Good-Bye To Dork City

I love reading these Big Nate books because they fail to make me laugh.


Book: Big Nate: Say Good-Bye To Dork City by Lincoln Peirce

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication Date: March 17, 2015

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Description:

Wanted: Nate Wright, better known as Big Nate, four-and-a-half feet tall, black hair with seven spikes, age eleven, sixth-grader at P.S. 38, record holder for school detentions. Reward: Big Nate: Say Good-bye to Dork City!

Can Nate Wright get any cooler? Not according to Nate himself. He's already P.S. 38's rockin'est drummer, finest poet (check out his haiku about brazil nuts), and deepest thinker--in his own mind. But does Nate have what it takes to hang with Marcus, leader of the school's most notorious posse? Or will he decide that being cool isn't all it's cracked up to be? Read Say Good-bye to Dork City… and say hello to lots of laughs!

Book Review for A-Z Title Challenge: Big Nate's Greatest Hits

Book: Big Nate's Greatest Hits by Lincoln Peirce

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Review:

Nate is at it again this time taking the fun out of playing board games with his friends Teddy and Francis to annoying his teachers. He was truly less than helpful when helping his father with his New Year's Resolution of losing weight and getting in shape.

He continues to get rejected by his crush Jenny who has zero interest in him but that doesn't stop Nate from trying to get her attention.

There are several skits throughout the book that show Nate dreading the return of his least favorite teacher Mrs. Godfrey who was out on maternity leave.

The momentum slows a bit when artwork/illustrations are shown of winners from a Big Nate Drawing Contest. Then it returns to the regular skits which includes Nate bothering his older sister Ellen and getting exactly what he deserves in return.

His dreams of a blissful summer are dashed when he is required to go to summer school and just when he was thinking it's going to be the worst summer ever he meets a new students. Her name is Angie and they have so much in common. He is instantly crushing on her but it's Nate so can anything good happen from this?

I thought this was really cute and funny. Nate and trouble go hand in hand which may not be so great for him but it's great for the reader. Reading these skits never gets old even when a few of them reappear from other Big Nate books.

There were a lot of funny things in this book and it should give kids plenty of moments to laugh. I would really recommend this.

Currently Reading for A-Z Title Challenge: Big Nate's Greatest Hits

I never get tired of reading these Big Nate books because he can never stay out of trouble. He's a total menace and I just love it.


Book: Big Nate's Greatest Hits by Lincoln Peirce

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Description:

The more Big Nate, the better! Readers will have their fill of Nate's wisecracks and school day shenanigans in this giant collection of hilarious comic strips.

Big Nate's Greatest Hits collects three bestselling e-book only collections--Big Nate Makes a Splash, Big Nate Dibs on This Chair, and Big Nate Pray for a Fire Drill--in this supersized paperback edition.

Eleven-year-old Nate Wright is no one-hit wonder. He’s the king of Monopoly, the Michelangelo of P.S. 38, and a Cheez Doodle poet extraordinaire. He’s a sixth-grade superstar—at least, that’s what he tells everyone—and he’s going all the way to Number One. Whether he’s having an imaginary near-death experience, creating another hilarious episode of “Doctor Cesspool,” or meeting the girl of his dreams at summer school, Nate’s always at the top of the charts. The hits just keep on coming in Big Nate’s Greatest Hits!

Book Review: Big Nate and Friends

Book: Big Nate and Friends by Lincoln Peirce

Source: Library

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Rating: 4 stars

Review:

There is a reason why I keep reading the Big Nate comic books, it's because they're so funny. I always end up laughing whenever I read one of these books.

In this book, Nate Wright is trying to stick to his resolutions which he doesn't seem to be trying too hard to keep. He also signed up to be a peer counselor which he does a horrible job with. He doles out bad advice thinking he is helping but he's really not.

Nate never changes, he continues to be a real pain to his family, friends, teachers and his neighbors. But there is a new student named Artur who is the complete opposite of Nate. He's kind and quickly becoming popular and has also beat Nate at Chess which is a big deal because Nate never loses.

Nate's also trying to figure out different ways to be cool including trying to have a posse. And trying to find out the best way to attract girls. Being cool and attracting girls are not something that is particular easy for Nate and his friends Teddy and Francis.

Nate and his friends deal with all the troubles of school and summer break in a very humorous way. This was a fun read.

Book Review: Big Nate: The Crowd Goes Wild!

Book: Big Nate: The Crowd Goes Wild! by Lincoln Peirce

Source: Borrowed from NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Description:

Big Nate is big news! A mainstay on the New York Times Best Sellers List, Big Nate is now the star of his own musical, which debuted in spring 2013.

Aspiring cartoonist Nate Wright is the star of Big Nate, the daily and Sunday comic strip, which has been nationally syndicated since 1991. Nate is 11 years old, four-and-a-half feet tall, and the all-time record holder for detentions in school history. He's a self-described genius and sixth grade Renaissance Man. Nate, who lives with his dad and older sister, enjoys pestering his family and teachers with his sarcasm. To draw Big Nate, Peirce relies on memories of his own childhood and the experiences he collected teaching art at a New York City high school. Peirce occasionally turns his pen over to his creation, and readers get to see life through Nate's eyes as he doodles his adventures in his notebook.


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

This is the second Big Nate book I've read (the first was Big Nate: All Work and No Play) and I think this one might be even funnier than that one.

Nate Wright just can not stay out of trouble from being annoying to his teachers and classmates at school to annoying his father and sister at home and anyone else he happens to meet out in the world. He's an adorable little trouble maker who you either want to root for or you wish would go away. Nate isn't the only one causing trouble his best friends Teddy and Francis both provide the laughs as well.

I seen where many fans compare Nate to Charlie Brown but to me he's more Calvin from Calvin & Hobbes.

Nate and Calvin are both annoying little pains that cause trouble, where as Charlie Brown unfortunately just has low self-esteem but with friends like his it's no wonder he's a little bit of a sad sack. The only thing I would say Nate and Charlie have in common are their crazy dogs.

I laughed so much from reading this, it's really one of those books that will have you laughing out loud. Nate doesn't always get into trouble, during those times he's just trying to figure out his life which some how ends up with him getting into trouble.

Book Review: Big Nate: All Work and No Play

Book: Big Nate: All Work and No Play: A Collection of Sundays by Lincoln Peirce

Source: Library

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

One word: Funny. I absolutely loved reading all the comic strips that were included in this book. Nate Wright always seems to be getting into trouble and no matter how many times he finds himself either being grounded or sitting in detention, he never stops doing things that will get him in trouble.

I really enjoyed this. If you ever want something funny to read, you should give this a read.

Currently Reading: The Late Starters Orchestra and Big Nate: All Work and No Play

These types of books makes you realize that you're never too young or old to accomplish anything you set your mind to. I'm really looking forward to reading this.


Book: The Late Starters Orchestra by Ari L. Goldman

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: June 10, 2014

Description:

If you thought a fiddler on a roof was in a precarious position, imagine what happens when a middle-aged professor with a bad back takes up the cello. Ari Goldman hasn’t played in twenty-five years, but he’s decided to give the cello one last chance. First he secures a seat in his eleven-year-old son’s youth orchestra, and then he’s ready for the big time: the Late Starters Orchestra of New York City—a bona fide amateur string orchestra for beginning or recently returning adult players.

We accompany Goldman to LSO rehearsals (their motto is “If you think you can play, you can”) and sit in on his son’s Suzuki lessons (where we find out that children do indeed learn differently from adults). And we wonder whether Goldman will be good enough to perform at his next birthday party. Coming to the rescue is the ghost of Goldman’s very first cello teacher, Mr. J, who continues to inspire and guide him—about music and more—through this enchanting midlife journey.

The Late Starters Orchestra reminds us that with a band of friends beside us, anything is possible.

I wanted something fun and light hearted to read and Big Nate is truly a funny little comics so I thought I would give it a read.

Book: Big Nate: All Work and No Play: A Collection of Sundays by Lincoln Peirce

Source: Library

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Description:

Big Nate is big news! Big Nate books have sold more than 4.5 million copies and been on the New York Times best-seller list for more than a year.

Already a New York Times best-seller, it's two firsts in one for a Big Nate book! The first Sundays-only and first full-color Big Nate collection both debut in Big Nate All Work and No Play. Enjoy more than two years of Sunday cartoons, portraying the colorful life of Nate Wright. This spunky eleven-year-old holds the school record for detentions and is in little chance of losing that distinction, but that doesn't stop him from dreaming big!

He's a self-described genius, a sixth-grade renaissance man, and a full-fledged believer in his future as a cartoonist. Equipped with a No. 2 pencil and the unshakable belief that he is No. 1, Nate fights a daily battle against overzealous teachers, undercooked cafeteria food, and all-around conventionality.