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

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

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

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

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: Say Good-bye to Dork City by Lincoln Peirce

The cover of this book refers to the storyline where Nate joins the cool kid clique but then discovers that maybe he was better off where he was before. We also get to see favorite running themes and characters like Nate's crush on Jenny, his antipathy toward her boyfriend Artur, a (brief) return of Revenge of the Mollusk, a glimpse of school photography guy, and Nate playing sports.

A great addition to the series and one that shouldn't be missed.

Four stars

This book came out March 17th, 2015

Follows The Crowd Goes Wild

Followed by Welcome to My World

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Big Nate: In Your Face by Lincoln Peirce

As always, Peirce delivers a series of strips wherein we get to see Nate interacting with his friends during sports and at school. We see his delusions of grandeur when it comes to all of the above. Of course, he spars with Gina and Mrs. Godfrey (even on the first day of school.) There are a series of strips related to his playing on the soccer team including wanting to get some music to play pre-game and how that quickly fizzles and also believing that he should be scouted (even in middle school) and figuring out that that will mean some extra training with someone he'd rather not spend time with.

It is also Nate's turn to take care of Sherman, the class hamster, and, being Nate, doesn't do it in quite the way one might expect. 

I am really enjoying the addition of Dee Dee. I can't remember when she was introduced but she's been appearing in more and more of the series. She is a great character and it's nice to see Nate actually relating to a female in a positive manner (not just as a despised teacher or sibling or, on the other hand, as a love interest.)

Four and a half stars

Follows The Gerbil Ate My Homework

Followed by Aloha

This book comes out March 2nd

ARC kindly provided by Andrew 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

Big Nate: Blow the Roof Off! by Lincoln Peirce

Big Nate has a girlfriend! And she's a seventh grader! I wish there had been a little more repercussions for Nate being a little gross about Trudy- or at least some more realization on Nate's part that she might not want to be talked about like she was around just for Nate's pleasure but there is little that pierces Nate's shield of obliviousness.
Overall a fun book.

Four stars
This book came out March 3
ARC kindly provided by Andrew McMeel Publishing and NetGalley
Also downloaded from library
Opinions are my own

Big Nate: Hug It Out! by Lincoln Peirce

Once again, Lincoln Peirce gives us a great collection of Big Nate comics. I love reading these books as a bit of a palate cleanser. Clean and fun, Nate never fails to make me smile with his hijinks. And getting to see his grandparents again was a delight. Grandpa and Nate resonate on the same level and it is just so fun to see. We also get to see Teddy and Francis roll their eyes at Nate and Gina is back as his younger arch-nemesis. Older nemesis, Mrs. Godfrey is back as well.

Four stars

This book comes out September 3rd

ARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Big Nate Payback Time by Lincoln Peirce

Once again, Lincoln Pearce gives us a great book with Big Nate as the protagonist. All of our favorites are here, Mrs. Godfrey (is Nate really allergic? Or is there something else going on?), Gina, Teddy, and Francis. There's even a newbie to detention that Nate tries to take under his wing with somewhat... dubious... results.
Four stars
This book came out March 19
ARC kindly provided by publisher and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Big Nate Goes Bananas! by Lincoln Peirce

This summer, a question for the ages is answered, when is the best time to eat a banana? Nate certainly has an opinion in this book. He also interacts with many of our favorite characters; Kim, Chester, School Picture Guy, and Artur. One person who is out for a bit is social studies teacher Mrs. Godfrey. Nate is delighted until he finds out who the substitute teacher is...

This book comes out September 18
Four and a half stars
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Big Nate: Silent But Deadly by Lincoln Peirce

Another great entry to the Big Nate canon. We get a little bit more story about Gina with a brief crush as well as a trivia competition between her and Francis. We also get a little Christmas time that I don't remember seeing in previous Big Nate books.

Four stars
This book comes out March 20
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Big Nate: A Good Old-Fashioned Wedgie by Lincoln Peirce

Nate is back in a book that mostly covers the summer. He's playing baseball again but Chester isn't their pitcher this year. Instead, Nate's dad calls one of Nate's old preschool playmates to come in and help out. Nate is crushing on her pretty hard until he finds out that Jenny has moved back to town. There is a storyline with Nate being astonished that Chad is getting so many signatures in his yearbook. Toward the end, we get a few strips with Mrs. Godfrey. Because how could this be a Big Nate book without her?

Four stars
This book comes out August 29

Big Nate: What's a Little Noogie Between Friends? by Lincoln Peirce

** spoiler alert ** If you love Big Nate, this book will be right up your alley. The usual stints with soccer and basketball. Photo Day is a compound threat with School Picture Guy being his usual self but then Coach John shows up as well. We also see more with Jenny and Nate when we all get the news that she is moving to Seattle.

Four stars
This book comes out February 28

Epic Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce

A look back at the Big Nate comics over the years including an interview with Lincoln Peirce (done by Jeff Kinney, of "Wimpy Kid" fame), a brief history of the strip, and then several examples of the strips from 1991-2015 peppered with comments from Peirce about how he came up with ideas or how characters evolved.
The foreward to this book was certainly interesting. It took a very "Behind the Music" tone. I even heard Casey Kasem's voice as I was reading it, "After 18 years, 'Big Nate' had become an overnight sensation" (not a real quote).
But this was was definitely a fun read though I would recommend the hard copy, NOT the eversion. Reading this on a smaller screen was incredibly difficult, having to make the text big enough to read and then having to scroll, shift the screen, scroll, get to a new page, and then scroll took a lot out of the experience.

Four and a half stars
This book comes out October 25

Big Nate: Revenge of the Cream Puffs by Lincoln Peirce

Everything you want from a Big Nate comic book. Lots of time with his friends, with Jenny and Arnold, with Kim, and with Spitsy. We also get to see Big Nate interacting in school and, of course, in detention. We also learn that he is terrified of cats.
A fun book.
Four and a half stars
This book comes out September 6