Big Nate Flips Out

Meet Nate. Messy, slobby, and best friends with Francis — who is basically the opposite of messy. Nate joins the yearbook club, Mrs Godfrey hates him (as usual), and Francis has to help because he is the responsible one.

Then Nate loses the camera and blabs Francis’s secret to the whole school. Did they destroy years of friendship, or was it someone else? Someone who really hates them?

What I liked

• The laughs. Nate coming up with new names for his social studies teacher who literally gives him detention every day never gets old.
• The friendship stuff feels real even when Nate is being an idiot.
• It reads fast — good for when you want something funny without a huge commitment.

What I didn’t like

• Some of the art is fine but not amazing compared to full graphic novels. It is more comic-style illustrations in a prose book.
• A bit of bullying in there — nothing terrible, but worth knowing if that bothers you.

Verdict

Solid 4 paws. Funny, easy read, and the Nate vs Mrs Godfrey war is peak comedy. Good from about 8+.