Remain Calm! by Lincoln Peirce

Another knock out of the park for Peirce. I don’t know how there are so many new storylines for Nate even when the overall themes are familiar. We get that most wonderful time of the year, back to school, as well as Halloween, School Picture Guy, and detention. But we also get Nate writing a graphic novel for math, him joining the school newspaper to write and advice column, and getting tripped up by a bad horoscope. And someone very surprising makes an apology.

Four and a half stars

This book came out September 3, 2024

Big Nate #31

Follows This Means War!

ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Unicorn Crush by Dana Simpson

Dakota is feeling the brunt of not being popular so she turns to Phoebe for help. Of course, it doesn't last long. Though they are moving ever closer to being... friends. And we also see her with Sam, the older girl she wants to be friends with. 

It turns out Marigold is in therapy, with Tod of all people. We get a lot of discussion in "Rar" (which is nice that Marigold gets her privacy. Then, when Marigold is ready to spend more time with Phoebe, we get to read about Phoebe's comic strip. 

New character Sparkleface McGee makes an appearance. It is a being of pure energy. And we see Marigold talking in another new language. 

Infernus the Unicorn of Death also stops in. 

Five stars

This book comes out May 7, 2024

Phoebe and Her Unicorn #19

Follows Unicorn for a Day

ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

This Means War! by Lincoln Peirce

Nate has a new rival. Kyle is trying to claim messiest locker at school. But Nate might just have a few things up his sleeve. Or, you know, in his locker. Lots of touchbacks to previous stories in the series. Two storylines even overlap when Klassic Komix agrees to sponsor Nate's baseball team. Of course, it doesn't go the way that Nate expects when Wayne chooses the name of an unexpected character. 

Four stars

This book comes out March 5, 2024

Big Nate #30

Follows Move it or Lose It!

Followed by Remain Calm

ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Unicorn for a Day by Dana Simpson

Once again, there are many delights from Phoebe and Marigold as they continue their adventures. We learn about unicorn omens and why booping is considered bad for unicornkind. The two also describe why their friendship works so well and Marigold is assigned some things by Phoebe might make them insecure but it's why they love each other. Also, we get some Freaky Friday action and a book club with Marigold, Todd, and Blartbert. 

Another delightful story. Simpson combines vocabulary words, learning about the world, and whimsy that keeps me reading.

Five stars

This book comes out October 3, 2024

Phoebe and Her Unicorn #18

Follows Punk Rock Unicorn

Followed by Unicorn Crush

ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

Big Nate: Move It or Lose It! by Lincoln Peirce

We get to see Nate's baseball team celebrate their end of year. He also tries to create a superhero universe (of course, the NCU.) But he does have to go back to school where he discovers that his homeroom teacher is none other than... Mrs. Godfrey. There's also a storyline where Alan changes his line to Nate and Nate W is really not excited. Also not excited, Chad when he and Gina are set up as partners for a school project. But it's Nate to the rescue when he hypnotizes Chad to have a bad personality. Hopefully he'll be able to change him back...

Four stars

This book comes out August 29, 2023

Follows Nailed It

Followed by This Means War!

ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

Big Nate: Next Stop, Superstardom! by Lincoln Peirce

I knew that Big Nate had been turned into a TV show and wondered if this was the book version of that. It is. And, at some point it may be successful to go that way with a comic book but this book... is dark. Like, physically dark. There's a running internet joke about how hard it is to see television and movies these days because the producers make things so dark and I feel like the artists in this book took that to heart. I thought at first it might be a metaphor for being at school because some panels have Nate in his house which is fully lit but I was really overthinking the process. 

There are three stories in the book. The first is a decent one about a baking competition against Jefferson middle school and trying to fake a haunting and Nate's dad dressing up as clown to go to a funeral. 

The second has Nate being pushed into figure skating for gym. He needs a partner to make it work but the only decent skater, Chad (who seems to have a lot of chest hair?) is forbidden from skating by a family curse. 

This one has a subplot with Nate's friends trying to teach his dad how to say no to Nate. 
The third story is Nate's dad trying to find a job which leaves an opening for Nate's band to step into a wedding. 

At the end of each of the stories is a page from the original comic is was based on. And, I feel like a curmudgeon typing this but, the (original) book was better. 

Two and a half stars

This book comes out May 25, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

Punk Rock Unicorn by Dana Simpson

Marigold has given up her crush on Lord Splendid Humility. Instead, she is going to rebound crush on his opposite. And opposite Prince Aspirational Arrogance is. But Phoebe finds reasons to like him.

Besides, she has a book report to procrastinate writing. And to argue with Dakota about. Are graphic novels real books? (the correct answer, by the way, is yes.)
There is a lovely interlude with Marigold making a small, dark, rainy universe for Phoebe to be sad in and, oh, I wish I had one. Or a unicorn. That would be good too. 

Simpson's humor is nowhere more evident than in the story of the hole. Or, as Marigold says, "a magical portal to a dimension of DARK and UNSPEAKABLE EVIL." And then, they meet their evil selves which gives them pause.

It is again time for the school play. This year it is to be "Yoony the Unicorn." We even get to see Marigold's contemplation hat. 

Phoebe also returns to her summer music camp where she meets a new friend. And it provides a lovely loop back to the beginning of this book. 

Another amazing addition to the series. 

Five stars

This book comes out April 4, 2023

Follows Unicornado

Followed by Unicorn for a Day

ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

Release the Hounds! by Lincoln Peirce

Once again, Nate is in the midst of a number of happenings. His father is handing out healthy treats

(though it helps to have a Chad if you are looking for the good candy. Nate gets injured at a soccer game but is delighted that his team fails without him and decides to take a stab at coaching. He also has to push Gina and her fragrant air freshener out of the student lounge (by taking off his shoes), but even Teddy questions his methods. 

Four and a half stars

Follows Beware of Low-Flying Corn Muffins

This book came out September 27, 2022

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Big Nate: Nailed It! by Lincoln Peirce

Another fantastic book in the Big Nate series. We get to see all of our favorites as they have new adventures. Spitsy has some hiccups in his path to love with Pickles (who turns out to be a decent chess player.) Francis and Teddy continue to be his best friends.  Sherman has a little time outside of his cage. Mrs. Czerwicki continues to monitor the detention room. 

Nate struggles with love when Todd Dunfy has a girlfriend. He also looks for a good luck charm but it quickly goes away. We also get a series of strips where Nate discusses his rather unique hair-style.

Four stars

This book comes out February 28, 2022

Follows Release the Hounds

Followed by Move It or Lose It

ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Unicorn Selfies: Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure by Dana Simpson

Many more fun adventures in this book of Phoebe and her Unicorn. Pixies build a clubhouse that is amazingly splendiferous (and pixies are oddly like human contractors.) Also, Marigold gets stuck in her mirror (of course) and has some new-to-her emotions like envy and some self-doubt. The latter comes in the form of preparing for her family reunion.

One of my favorite things in reading Simpson's series is the language. Words are not dumbed down for kids and she plays with things like, "I'm a big fancy-butt! Pay attention to my big, fancy butt!" I love it. And the unveiling of Phoebe's name is built up to in this book (and some of the past books but the possibly more confusing second half is in this book.) 

Four and a half stars

This book comes out June 7, 2022

Follows Unicorn Playlist

Followed by Unicornado

ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Beware of Low-Flying Corn Muffins by Lincoln Peirce

I love the Big Nate books. Peirce does such a good job of creating a kid who would like to believe that he is smooth and worldly but he is actually usually short of the mark. In this collection, we get to see that in a series of stories including the low-flying corn muffin incident where Nate gets the coach in the head. We also find out that Nate and his nemesis Mrs. Godfrey share a surprising interest. Nate almost loses his status as the king of gossip around school. 

Four stars

This book comes out March 8, 2022

Follows Aloha!

Followed by Release the Hounds

ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Big Nate: Aloha! by Lincoln Peirce

We get the span from the end of the school year and prank days, through the summer, and some back-to-school shopping. As usual, a fantastic look at the life of Nate with a bit more Dee Dee and not as much Gina (I wish we saw more between those two; the crossover is always fun; it would have bumped up my reading score for sure). 

One of the more interesting stories is that, while working as an intern at the comic book store, Nate sees Randy shoplifting. Randy, of course, being one of Nate's bullies. Nate calls for help, but when none is forthcoming, he tackles (literally) Randy. This also spins off a few strips where we discover yet another job of School Photo guy as mall cop. 

Of course, Nate is still interested in romance. He goes on a date with one girl, tires the pencil trick with two others, and then works his charm on the beach. Spoiler, none of them work.  

We get glimpses of other summer activities such as busking with Enslave the Mollusk and once again playing on the Cupcakes baseball team.

Four stars

Follows In Your Face

Followed by Beware of Low-Flying Corn Muffins

This book comes out August 31st, 2021

ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Big Nate: The Gerbil Ate My Homework by Lincoln Peirce

More fun stories from Big Nate. He breaks up with his seventh grade girlfriend in order to spend more time with his friends. And even though he's still in school, at least his favorite teacher is back. We get to see Nate make a film with Gina and Chad and there is more time spent with Dee Dee (who I am really enjoying as a character and am glad to see more of.)

Four stars

Followed by In Your Face
This book comes out September 1st
ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley
Also downloaded from library
Opinions are my own