My review:
Reading books for this age group now that I'm a mom is a little weird. In one scene, Nate's father is recalling an incident involving his own father, a marshmallow, and a microwave. My first thought was, "They wouldn't have had a microwave back then." Except that *I* have a ten-year-old, which makes me around same age (if not older than) Nate's parents. And we had a microwave "back then". I know I'm getting old when I'm closer to the age of the parents in the story than the kids.

Poor Nate has to deal with his mom's bad cooking, an annoying older sister, and a tattle-tale classmate, when all he really wants to do is draw. His sister irritated me, and his oblivious parents weren't much better. But I loved that the whole book wasn't a constant complaint about his family. It's not completely horrible in their home, and their Christmas morning traditions sound like a lot of fun. I loved the ending, too, but of course, I won't tell you more about that. :-)

The 10-year-old's review:
It was a really good book. I read it four times. (What he doesn't say is that the afternoon it came in the mail, he and the book immediately disappeared for a couple hours. After he read it, he allowed me to read it, but I had to give it right back.)

I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review. ( )

This is a very fast read and it is perfect for any time that you are looking for a book you can finish in a day or two. Nate is a typical fourth grader and he is very easy to relate to, even if you do like sports. I think kids between the ages of 7 and 12 will love this book if they like comics, pranks, and if they sometimes feel out of place. Nate is a good main character and his experiences with his older sister and his friends help to make the story more interesting. He is someone kids would want to hang out with because he is nice and interesting. I like that the book had a lot of humor and that Nate has a great imagination. I think we all like to imagine ourselves doing something really cool that other people will admire. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading others in the series.
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Nate is a ten year old boy with an over active imagination. Everyday mundane events are opportunities in disguise as adventures starring Nate who of course, rocks them all.

Nate is a character who seeks adventure by indulging in day dreams which reminded me a little of a young Walter Mitty. He has a quirky family that add to the fun. It is a great choice for middle graders and is certainly not limited to boys as my daughter completely enjoyed this book as well. ( )

Armed with a vivid imagination and a passion for drawing, Nathan Rockledge’s world is never dull. It’s his way of dealing with being in the fourth grade as well as having an overbearing thirteen-year-old sister and the pressures of home. Nate can’t help the fact that his imagination runs away with him more times than he can count. His dreams and drawings are the only things that make his life worthwhile, passions from which he’ll never part.

His parents aren’t thrilled that he spends most of his time immersed within his imaginary worlds. They want the best for him, even if Nate can’t quite see that as of yet. His sister believes he’s a hindrance within her every day life and she’ll do everything she can to make him feel inferior. Nate isn’t one to be left behind and makes sure he takes turns at upsetting her world whenever possible. After all, sibling rivalries aren’t that much fun unless you can give as much as you get, right?

Losing himself in the world around him, Nate is able to perform extraordinary feats in order to save those who need a helping hand. There’s never a dull moment in his life, as there’s nothing he wouldn’t do in order to make sure his world is fine and dandy. With his sketch and coloring pencils in hand, every aspect of the world he lives in comes to life in vivid color.

Nate dives into his adventures head on, content in giving a helping hand wherever it’s needed. A world of his making, Nate’s dreams come true in the oddest, yet most intriguing of ways. This allows him to share his passions with his friends and family, even if they don’t understand where he’s coming from in the first place.

This was such a delightful read. Karen uses Nate’s passion for drawing to bring to life the unique situations he finds himself in. Each and every adventure is something any child can relate to. The book is beautifully written in a manner that a child of any age can easily understand the story. I enjoyed this first book of a truly wonderful series. ( )

Nate Rocks the World is a fantastic and imaginative story that will keep your child engaged. Nate is a fourth grader who daydreams of being a hero. He escapes the trials and tribulations of his life by drawing. Karen does a wonderful job of blending his fantasies with his reality. The characters are so real and likeable. I love the conflict between him and his older sister.

The lesson in this story is that dreams can come true and that there is hero inside of even the most unlikely source. Although girls will love it too (my 9 year old daughter did) if you have a boy between 8 and 10 years old buy this book right now! We can't wait for the next book in this series!” ( )