Big Nate Flips Out: Big Nate, Book 5
By Darienne Stewart,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Nate cleans up his act to save a friendship in funny read.
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Based on 4 parent reviews
Prefer my children not exposed to these behaviors as acceptable
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Best book to buy your kid, supergamer2282
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What's the Story?
Nate's sloppiness is causing him all sorts of trouble with his teachers -- and then it leads to a huge fallout with his best friend, Francis. So the spirited sixth-grader tries hypnosis in a bid to repair their friendship. It works almost too well: Nate is suddenly a darling among the teachers. He's an A student. He has no detentions. He's even tapped to be a hall monitor. But he's miserable and Francis still isn't talking to him. To make amends, Nate confronts a bully, catches a thief, and sticks up for his friends.
Is It Any Good?
Like the other books in the popular Big Nate series, there's a fair amount of sophomoric humor and mocking students and teachers in BIG NATE FLIPS OUT. Before he's hypnotized, Nate is a regular in detention and a frustration to his teachers. You may not want your kids to emulate Nate, but they certainly will empathize. Beneath the butt jokes lies a sweet message about learning to laugh at yourself, as well as at others. And once you get past his mischievous manner, Nate is a good kid who sticks up for the underdogs when it counts.
The mix of narrative text and comics -- some representing Nate's work -- make for a lively, funny read. Author Lincoln Peirce again works in some secret code, inviting kids to engage on a closer level.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how a long-running series keeps momentum. The Big Nate website (see "External sites" in the right-hand column of this page) has games, videos, a blog, and publicity material, and the books include a sneak peek at the next planned book.
When Nate is neat and organized, he gets top grades instead of detention slips. Do you think his work is actually better? What does this say to you about what it means to be smart? What about the way teachers judge students?
Nate's comics are often a form a journaling. Try writing a comic based on events in your life.
Book Details
- Author: Lincoln Peirce
- Illustrator: Lincoln Peirce
- Genre: Humor
- Topics: Friendship
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Harper
- Publication date: February 5, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 224
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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