October 1, 2010
Fresh from his daily comic strip, sixth grader Nate Wright returns for another novel-length adventure (Big Nate: In a Class By Himself, 2010). He must endure both being partnered with overly perfect Gina on a social-studies project AND her playing on the intramural fleeceball team he captains. To make matters worse, Nate missed the deadline to submit the name of his team to Coach, and Gina submitted "Kuddle Kittens" for him. Total embarrassment! Gina messes up the team's first game, and she fears Nate will mess up her A+ average. The two strike a deal: He'll let her do the report on Ben Franklin alone, and she'll bow out of future fleeceball games. Nate may think he's got the bases covered...but he can't seem to learn that his plans never quite work out. Peirce's second Big Nate tale is even more stuffed with Nate's own comics than his first, including a couple "Poor Nate's Almanacks" and his goofy imaginings in "true" life comix. A latter-day Peanuts and a kinder, gentler Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Fans will be in heaven; thank goodness number three is already on the way. (Graphic hybrid/fiction. 7-11)
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December 1, 2010
Gr 3-6-Peirce's second book about Big Nate is clever and funny. For Mrs. Godfrey's newest special project, a research assignment on a great American, the sixth grader gets paired with the perfect A-plus student, Gina. Horrible as this seems, something great also occurs-Nate is picked as a Fleeceball team captain and has a chance to win the coveted Spoffy (Sports Played Only for Fun) trophy. Unfortunately, he is late to the gym when players are chosen, and Gina is on his team. The pacing of the text and the black-and-white comic-book illustrations give the story a fun and carefree rhythm. Readers will be delighted to pick this up and find great characters who will stay with them.-Patty Saidenberg, George Jackson Academy, New York City
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