Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody [Hardcover]

From the best-selling author of A Monster Calls, this funny, wise middle-grade series explodes every stereotype—including what it means to be a hero—in a brilliant reptilian take on surviving school.

When Principal Wombat makes monitor lizards Zeke, Daniel, and Alicia hall monitors, Zeke gives up on popularity at his new school. Brought in as part of a district blending program, the monitor lizards were mostly ignored before. Reptiles aren’t bullied any more than other students, but they do stick out among zebras, ostriches, and elk. Why would Principal Wombat make them hall monitors? Alicia explains that it’s because mammals are afraid of being yelled (hissed) at by reptiles. The principal’s just a good general, deploying her resources. Zeke balks, until he gets on the wrong side of Pelicarnassus. More than a bully, the pelican is a famed international supervillain—at least when his mother isn’t looking. Maybe the halls are a war zone, and the school needs a hero. Too bad it isn’t . . . Zeke. Smart, relatable, and densely illustrated in black and white for graphic appeal, this middle-grade series debut by a revered author returns to his themes of grief, bullying, and negotiating differences—but with zeal and comic relief to spare.Ness clearly has a talent for balancing heart with mind-blowing silliness and whimsy. . . . All this is punctuated by Miller’s ink drawings of the characters, perfectly matching Ness’ equally deadpan recounting of the action. Yet in the end, it’s Zeke’s slow growth into a hero that will touch readers’ hearts, gargantuan pelican robot suits and tiny fighter jets notwithstanding. Heart and weirdness in equal measure prove you should never underestimate the power of a lizard!
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