Community Activity:Rank the Chapters - Big Nate in a Class by Himself (or "The Boy With the Biggest Head in the World")

Inspired by the Rank the Chapters article started by OofBigGina, here's an article where you can rank one of the Big Nate novels, starting with the first one, Big Nate in a Class by Himself (or "The Boy With the Biggest Head in the World")!

There WILL be spoilers around, so if you haven't read it yet and you ended up getting spoiled, you have only yourself to blame.

Ned Dickens ranking (as an example, exactly like the example in the original Rank the Chapters article)
Chapter 8 (the best) - This one is my favorite chapter, having great jokes to laugh at like the Chester one. You get to learn more about some of the group tables in the Cafetorium. This also marks the introduction of Chad in the novels, one of my favorite Big Nate characters besides Nate (though Chad is accidentally referred to as Todd). It's pretty cool to see the world records described here, as a former fan of the Guinness World Records. The "green bean incident" was a fun scene to read.

Chapter 12 - The types of endings I love the best are the happy ones after what seems like a sad day for the main character. Before we get to that, let's talk about some things introduced here including the G-O-D-F-R-E-Y game and Nate's favorite superheroine comic Femme Fatality. The flashback is also the very first appearance of Randy, whom I like best in the novels, especially Big Nate Blasts Off. This also marks the introduction of Mrs. Czerwicki in the novels. Nate gets his happy ending when he finds out that he achieved a school record (the most detention slips in one day).

Chapter 4 - Three characters are introduced in the novels here; the funny Teddy, the firm Mr. Galvin, and the sometimes furious Principal Nichols. The flashback is also the very first appearance of Mary Ellen Popowski, though she was mentioned in an earlier comic. We get to find out a bit more about Nate including his love/hate of fortune cookies and his Scorpio sign. The fortune cookie he would receive would set the course for his day-long goal ("Today you will surpass all others").

Chapter 3 - This one is pretty good. You get to learn more about the school system, specifically what happens if Nate skips school. At least in this chapter, he knows the consequences of forging a signature, unlike in an old comic where he literally did just that. The biggest problem Nate had in the beginning was a possible social studies test that could send him to summer school if he fails, but Francis told him that there was no social studies test that day, much to Nate's joy and relief.

Chapter 11 - The chapters where Nate gets in trouble with his teachers (not including the best Chapter 8) are not really the ones I like the best because he has gotten in trouble so many times, and we do not need to see more of the torture. The jokes Nate made in an attempt to impress Mr. Galvin and induce some laughter were very funny to me. Mr. Galvin's boiling point was when the pen he took from Nate leaked in his shirt pocket (reused from an earlier comic), and Nate got his 7th and last detention of the day.

Chapter 7 - This chapter is more average. Here you get to see a little more action in the halls such as a major lip-lock, a turbo-wedgie, and strange arm-writings. Not only that, the display case has a really interesting drawings like a still life, a drawing of ponies, a hand self-portrait, and a drawing of a shoe (made by Artur). Nate snuck out to replace Artur's drawing with his own, but after a loud doorknob POP and a loud wall SMASH, Nate was caught and received a detention from Mr. Rosa (His favorite teacher. Sad).

Chapter 1 - The beginning isn't totally the best part of a book because you have to set the scene before you can go anywhere. A few of the characters that wouldn't be properly introduced until later chapters or books are hinted such as Teddy, Gina and Nick Blonsky but that's OK because here you're introduced to the 4 earliest main characters in the novels; Nate, his dad, Francis, and Mrs. Godfrey, with a lot you need to know about them. And of course, we get to Nate's first problem in the book, the social studies test.

Chapter 5 - This is where Gina is properly introduced in the novels as Nate's rival who is a total tattletale, and you get to learn more about the classes Nate has to take, including the first two with Mrs. Godfrey; homeroom and social studies. The nicknames are the only major funny part of this chapter, but that's what started the dreaded detention slip torture, when Mrs. Godfrey finds those nicknames and gives Nate his first detention of the day for "insolence".

Chapter 9 - The only major funny part of this chapter is when Nate explains the different steps of Principal Nichols' lecture before he hands Nate another detention. However, of all the teachers and coaches Nate has, Coach John is the most torturous (you know what he's like). When Nate accidentally spilled sink water on his shorts, he had to find some spare shorts, and the only ones he could find were Coach John's huge ones. Coach John was not pleased, and the torturous wind sprints were on for Nate.

Chapter 2 - This is probably the worst chapter besides the "teachers" ones. You get to learn about the summer school treachery Nate might have to face, and of course, in walks Ellen, Nate's 15-year-old sister, and not really the best of the earliest characters, being an example of the "teen sister bully" stereotype. The annoying things about her really are annoying. At least Spitsy is introduced into the novels, he's a fun dog. Nate had to think of an excuse to skip the possible social studies test.

Chapter 6 - This chapter is one of the most torturous experiences for Nate here. Artur and Jenny are introduced in the novels here, and while I like Nate's rivalry against Artur, we all know that Jenny is a total BEE towards Nate. All I enjoy here is the poems written by Nate about Cheez Doodles, his favorite snack food. The ultimate embarrassment came for Nate when Gina busted him for writing a love poem for Jenny. Nate snaps at Gina, which results in Nate receiving his second detention from Ms. Clarke.

Chapter 10 (the worst) - This really is what I think is the worst chapter of the book, and it just so happens when Nate considers adding this day to one of his "worst days ever" after receiving another detention from Coach John. Mr. Staples is not really the best character because of his poor balance between niceness and cruelty. Just when we thought Nate would finally achieve his goal, it's been set back by the reused joke of forgetting to answer the questions in the back. After a brief scuffle with Mr. Staples, Nate ended up receiving yet another detention. The torture just kept going!

Conclusion: Despite all the torture Nate had to go through, he still has his happy ending, and that's how I felt throughout this book. All in all, my total rating for this book is 80% (4 out of 5 stars).

Now it's your turn! Add your name and your rankings below.