2 stars
Note: this is the first I have read of anything Big Nate-related.
An okay collection of comics originally published 2009 to 2010. The collection was fine, mostly I just don’t think it was a good fit for me personally. I had a difficult time assessing who this book was targeted toward. The characters look like elementary kids, are supposed to be teenagers (I think?), and talk like adults. I didn’t find most of the humor funny. It felt very adult and I didn’t see it being very humorous to young readers. The funniest part for me was the seemingly self-aware joke in “Reality Bites” on page 134 about kids sounding too adult and programs being unrealistic because that’s not how kids talk to each other.
I also really wasn’t feeling Nate’s obsession with Jenny. I get that it’s a crush and it’s supposed to be funny, but she makes it clear she’s not interested and he still keeps trying. These strips were originally published in 2009/2010 and complied in 2014 so I get they’re a little dated. But I think we should all just be done with this storyline. Presenting it as normal to keep bugging a girl who makes it obvious she doesn’t want to be with you (and also has a boyfriend) isn’t my thing and I think we need to move past it.
Overall, this book was okay. There were a few silly moments, but overall it wasn’t for me. Fun art style and relatable topics like homework, school sports, class elections, and dating. Includes engaging activities at the end such as creating captions and deciding what happens next.