Big Nate: Blasts Off
First edition
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| Author | Lincoln Peirce |
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| Cover artist | Lincoln Peirce |
| Series | Big Nate (Novels) |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Published | February 16, 2016, HarperCollins |
| Media type | Print (Paperback and Hardcover and Ebook) |
| Pages | 225 |
| ISBN | 978-0062111128 |
| Preceded by | Big Nate: Lives It Up |
Big Nate Blasts Off is an exciting book from 2016, written by Lincoln Peirce. It follows the story from Big Nate Lives It Up and is the last book in the popular Big Nate novel series. Don't worry, though! New Big Nate comic books and daily comics are still being created.
Contents
The Story of Big Nate Blasts Off
Nate's New Seating Arrangement
The story starts with Nate feeling unusually excited about social studies class. His teacher, Mrs. Godfrey, had changed the seating chart. This time, Nate wasn't sitting in front of his rival, Gina. Instead, he was in front of Ruby Dinsmore, his new crush.
Ruby asked Nate to show her a funny comic he drew about Mrs. Godfrey. When Mrs. Godfrey saw the comic, Nate was sent to detention. While Nate was in detention, Gina arrived to interview Mrs. Czerwicki for the school newspaper, The Weekly Bugle. Nate noticed the newspaper had many problems. It didn't have any comics, its name didn't make sense (it was published monthly, not weekly), and its headlines were quite dull.
Mud Bowl Practice and Crushes
After detention, Nate and his friends practiced for a game called the "Mud Bowl." They had a small argument with Randy Betancourt. Suddenly, Ruby stepped in and helped calm things down, making Randy leave.
On their way to Nate's house, Dee Dee told Francis and Teddy that Nate liked Ruby. She also mentioned that Randy liked Ruby too. At Nate's house, Teddy told Nate's dad about their Mud Bowl practice. Nate's dad proudly shared that he invented the game and won the very first Mud Bowl against Jefferson Middle School.
The next day at school, Dee Dee told Nate she accidentally shared his secret with her friends. Soon, everyone at school knew Nate had a crush on Ruby. This led to Randy teasing Nate.
School Newspaper and a Prank
During lunchtime, Nate got a job writing a column for the school newspaper. He decided to write a gossip column about other students. Nate's dad had packed him another unappetizing lunch, and no one wanted to trade food with him.
Ruby felt sorry for Nate and offered him her root beer. Nate opened the can, not knowing Randy had shaken it up earlier. The root beer sprayed everywhere, embarrassing Nate. Dee Dee later explained that Randy had shaken the can. She couldn't warn Ruby because a teacher stopped her.
Nate confronted Randy in the boys' bathroom. Principal Nichols walked in and saw them arguing. Nate didn't get detention this time. However, the principal warned him that he would face more serious consequences if he continued to bother Randy.
Revenge and Consequences
Nate went home and noticed his dad wearing a suit for work, which was unusual. At school, Nate wrote an insulting column about Randy to get back at him. Randy then confronted Nate in the hallway, leading to a fight.
Principal Nichols sent both boys to Peer Counseling with Gina. This meant Nate would miss Mud Bowl practice with his friends and Ruby, who had just joined his team.
Big News at Home
When Nate got home, his dad shared some big news with Nate and his sister. He explained that he had to find a new job, and it might mean the family would move to California for a new opportunity. This was a huge surprise for Nate.
Nate later met his friends outside. Dee Dee told him that Ruby liked him. However, because of the possible move to California, Nate told his friends he wasn't interested in starting a relationship with Ruby. He later admitted this was a lie, but his friends were very disappointed at the time.
Field Trip and New Friendships
A week passed, and Nate still hadn't told most people about his family's potential move. He went on a field trip to a science museum and was paired with Randy for an assignment. There, Nate ran into Nolan, an annoying student from Jefferson Middle School whom Nate knew from before. They started arguing about the Mud Bowl.
To Nate's surprise, Randy stepped in to stop the argument. After Nolan left, Nate and Randy talked. Nate shared his worries about moving, and Randy shared some personal news about his family situation. This conversation helped them understand each other better.
After the field trip, Nate and his friends practiced for the Mud Bowl. Nate, impressed by Randy's throwing skills, asked him to join their team. Later, Dee Dee asked Nate why he was pretending not to like Ruby.
Before Nate could explain, his dad arrived with wonderful news! He had found another job right where they lived, so they wouldn't have to move to California after all. Nate quickly shared the exciting news with his friends. An overjoyed Ruby gave Nate a kiss.
Seeing this, Randy looked upset. Nate spoke with him, reminding Randy that they were teammates. They decided to focus on their Mud Bowl strategy together.
The Big Mud Bowl Game
Two days later, the Mud Bowl began. This game is often played in challenging weather conditions. At first, Nolan's team from Jefferson Middle School was winning. But when Francis changed positions, Nate's team started scoring points.
Nate noticed that Randy, because of his feelings for Ruby, was throwing the frisbee to her very often. Jefferson's team caught on to this pattern and started intercepting their throws. Nate called a timeout to talk with Randy.
Nate helped Randy understand that Ruby liked Nate. With new focus, Nate's team created a winning strategy. They managed to tie the game against Jefferson, 19-19. Just as time ran out, Nate made an amazing catch, ending their 37-year losing streak!
A week later, Nate and his team read the school newspaper. The headline proudly announced, "Betancourt & Wright team up to win first 'Mup' Bowl in 37 years!" As they walked to social studies, Nate told his friends he was done writing "Bugle Blasts," his gossip column. He said he wasn't that kind of person anymore.
Then, Nate showed his friends another comic, this time making fun of Mrs. Godfrey. He declared, "I've got a feeling my cartooning career is about to BLAST OFF!" He didn't notice Mrs. Godfrey standing right behind him, ready to give him another detention.
