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Big Nate reading order (Updated May 2026): How to read Lincoln Peirce's hit comic in order

How to read the Big Nate novels and comics in release and chronological order

Guides by Joshua Lapin-Bertone, Contributing writer

Published on Fri May 08 2026

Growing up isn’t easy, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Nate Wright is 11 years old, four-and-a-half-feet tall, and he’s trying to survive middle school one day at a time. From pranks, detentions, and school crushes, Big Nate is a story about the middle school experience through the eyes of a good-natured troublemaker.

Created by cartoonist Lincon Peirce, Big Nate began as a syndicated comic strip in 1991, but the character found a new home when he entered the young reader market. Peirce’s original Big Nate novels became young reader favorites, and the comic strip collections are bestsellers at school book fairs around the world.

If you’re looking to dive into Big Nate’s school adventures but aren’t sure where to start, Popverse has you covered. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about reading the preteen troublemaker.

How to read the Big Nate books in release and chronological order

The success of Big Nate’s syndicated comic strip led to cartoonist Lincoln Peirce bringing Nate Wright into the book market. The Big Nate novels are part chapter book, part comic book, with the text passages and comic vignettes intersecting with one another on the page. Young readers loved it, and the Big Nate novels were a runaway hit. The novel series ended (for now) after eight books with Big Nate: Blasts Off. To read the series in order, simply follow this list.

How to read the Big Nate comic strip collections in release and chronological order

The Big Nate comic strip has been running daily since its launch on January 7, 1991 (minus brief periods of reruns). In 2010, Andrews McMeel Publishing began releasing collected editions of the strip, starting with Big Nate: From the Top. The collection became a New York Times bestseller, and more entries followed. Today, Andrews McMeel Publishing’s Big Nate series has 34 volumes, with the 35^th volume, Big Nate: Curse of the Puffy Shorts, due in stores September 1, 2026. If you want to read the entire series in order, follow this list.

Does Big Nate have an LGBTQIA+ character?

There are no LGBTQIA+ characters in the Big Nate comics strips or novels, but the Paramount+ streaming series had a few queer characters. In the animated series, Nate’s friend Dee Dee Holloway is in a romantic relationship with a girl named Amy. Nate’s substitute teacher Donna, is shown to have a wife named Kathleen.

Does Big Nate get a girlfriend?

Yes, Nate has had several girlfriends over the years. In the comic strip, Nate’s most recent girlfriend was Daphne, and in the novels, he briefly dates Ruby Dinsmore. Nate has had other girlfriends over the years, including Kelly, Trudy, and Angie. This lines up with my personal memories regarding how quickly middle school relationships fizzle out.

Does Big Nate ever kiss Jenny?

Nate has had a crush on Jenny for years, but the feelings are one-sided. However, Nate did get to kiss Jenny during a spin-the-bottle game during a January 5, 1994 strip. As you can imagine, Nate made a much bigger deal about this than Jenny did.

What age are the Big Nate books appropriate for?

The Big Nate novels and comics are generally recommended for readers ages 8-12. The books don’t contain any violence, sex, or mature themes, making them appropriate for grade school readers. There is some mischief, and some of the kid characters insult one another, but the language is clean. All in all, the Big Nate novels are fun books for early readers.

Is Big Nate’s dad divorced?

Yes, Nate’s father, Marty Wright, is divorced. The exact timeline of when Marty split up with Nate’s mom is inconsistent, but their marriage ended sometime before the comic strip and novel series began. Big Nate creator Lincoln Peirce originally intended to have the strip focus more on Marty’s misadventures as a single father, but he found Nate’s school life had more comedic possibilities.

Do we ever see Big Nate’s mom?

No, Big Nate’s mother has never been seen in the comic strip or novels. According to Nate, his mother is remarried to another man and lives 2,000 miles away. Fans speculate that her name is Linda, due to a comment from Nate’s father about his college sweetheart, but nothing is confirmed. Big Nate creator Lincoln Peirce says there are no plans to ever make the former Mrs. Wright a character in the series, as he feels her presence wouldn’t make sense for the story as it is now.

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Joshua Lapin-Bertone: Joshua is a pop culture writer specializing in comic book media. His work has appeared on the official DC Comics website, the DC Universe subscription service, HBO Max promotional videos, the Batman Universe fansite, and more. In between traveling around the country to cover various comic conventions, Joshua resides in Florida where he binges superhero television and reads obscure comics from yesteryear.