Monday, October 31, 2022

Today's read... Big Nate: Prank You Very Much by Lincoln Peirce

 Happy Halloween! Today's read...although not spooky or chilling or dealing with creatures of the night...slides into a different direction, which kind of hits the holiday but indirectly. Pranks. Or 'tricks' on the ever-so-loved trick-or-treat phrase. (Am I stretching things a little?)

Anyway, today's read is the 2nd of two books in the popular comic/graphic novel series, which has now turned into a show on Nickelodeon. It doesn't come out for a few more weeks, so we're going to take an early glance.



BIG NATE:
PRANK YOU VERY MUCH
Big Nate TV Series Grapic Novel Book 2
by Lincoln Peirce
Andrews McMeel Publishing
Middle Grade Humor / Graphic Novel
224 pages
ages 7 to 12


COMING...
NOVEMBER 29th!!!



This dynamic graphic novel is based on the Big Nate animated series on Paramount+ and Nickelodeon, featuring storylines from animated shorts and full-length episodes. Starring Nate, Francis, Dee Dee, Teddy, and friends, these hilarious escapades will thrill longtime Big Nate fans as well as new readers. It's Big Nate like you've never seen him before!
When it comes to making mischief, Nate Wright's in a class by himself. Whether he's pranking his sister with fluorescent toothpaste or giving the school yearbook an unauthorized glow-up, Nate's genius for trickery always earns straight As.

Based on the hit 
Big Nate TV show on Paramount+ and Nickelodeon, Big Nate: Prank You Very Much features stories from two shorts and two complete episodes. In "The Pimple of Power," a honkin’ zit on Nate’s forehead unexpectedly becomes the most miraculous good luck charm in school history. In “Time Disruptors,” Nate and his pals channel a legendary team of superheroes to rescue Francis from the clutches of P.S. 38’s obnoxious archrival, Jefferson Middle School. Two short stories showcase Nate’s unmatched prank-pulling flair along with his hilarious response to a school picture day gone horribly wrong.

Combining the animated series’s full-color artwork with the hand-drawn illustrations  so familiar to fans of 
Big Nate comics, Prank You Very Much packs a serious comic punch!


GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62326850-big-nate
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BCHKVZVY/
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/big-nate-lincoln-peirce/1141411275
BOOK DEPOSITORY: https://www.bookdepository.com/Big-Nate--Prank-You-Very-Much/9781524878733


MY TIDBITS

Sticking to the exciting flair of the Nickelodeon series, two adventures make sure Nate and his friends never near the realm of boredom.

After becoming a Big Nate mini-fan, I was excited to dive into this newest edition. I have not, yet, seen too much of the Nickelodeon series, which meant that this graphic novel form was still a little unfamiliar. Unlike the rest of the Big Nate graphic novels, this book (and it's predecessor, book one) leave the traditional, well-known format and let the new series come in. The graphics align with the show and carry that animated direction, rather than the traditional illustrations. As a fan of the originals, this caught me a little off-guard, but I have no doubt that those who know the series will settle right in and enjoy the familiarity right away. 

Pranks abound in the first part of this book and carry all of Nate's ridiculous antics as well as the wonderful reactions of his friends. This newer format does add a new dimension thanks to the colors and slightly more realistic scenes. The emotions come across clearly, letting the humor fly. Instead of darting through many, various situations as in the traditional books, this one centers around two main tales. These play out smoother than the traditional form and remind of watching the show. The word bubbles play on top, giving the right amount of text to balance with each moment. 

Imagination mixes with humor and more realistic situations to create ridiculous moments...and carry some things readers can connect to. The pimple tale is easy for many to relate to and pray they never have that horrible of a zit (this more graphic illustration form made it truly gross). And the superhero tale with the self-made costumes was also more than smile-worthy. Plus, it was hard not to hope the 'heroes' made it through. The read was easy, the adventures fun, and it even hits home just a little bit.

Nate's antics are hilarious as always and his friends round everything off well. There's tons of humor and lots of heart. I do see fans of the show enjoying this quite a bit but also believe fans of the original series might not be as drawn in quite as much. Either way, its a fun read.

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