Sixth grader Nate Wright doesn’t excel in much at P.S.38. He’s not as smart as his best friend Francis nor as lamely funny as his other best friend Teddy, and he’s certainly not (unfortunately) successful at everything, like his annoying older sister Ellen. So when Teddy slips Nate a fortune cookie and the fortune reads “Today you will surpass all others,” Nate is stoked. Just how will he surpass all others? Every time he tries anything—like making grumpy Mr. Gavin laugh or breaking the speed-eating world record by snarfing down a mountain of slimy green beans—he ends up getting detention. This really seems more like a candidate for Worst Day Ever! Peirce skillfully and often hilariously imports his comic-strip character into a full-length story. The many comic strips, some drawn by Nate on lined paper and others featuring him as a character, and copious spot illustrations move the story along to a conclusion some may see coming but all will enjoy. Perfect for fans of Jeff Kinney’s Wimpy Kid. Thank goodness sequels are planned. Final art not seen. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 7-11)
