Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody - by Patrick Ness

About the Book

"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"--

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

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!
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Ness and Miller, the dream team you never knew you needed, deliver an exceptional chapter book that explores bullying, stereotyping, grief, and friendship. . . . Sure to amuse and even move young middle-graders.
--Booklist (starred review)

Full of humor and heart, this is a must-buy for any school or public library. Hand to readers who love a good laugh but will also benefit from a quick lesson.
--School Library Journal (starred review)

[A] sincere, absurd anthropomorphic take on middle school. . . . Using over-the-top prose, Ness details characters tackling mundane yet serious issues surrounding economic disparity, school violence, anger management, and self-image in a tale that is both deeply relatable and humorously off-kilter. Expressively goofy ink line illustrations by Miller add whimsy and warmth.
--Publishers Weekly

Utterly original, absolutely brilliant, and delightfully surprising. This author-illustrator dream team have done one of the hardest things there is to do: put together a book that is at once profound and preposterously fun.
--Jarrett Lerner, author of A Work in Progress

Oh, man, I love this! A schoolyard romp with a cast of clever, heartfelt, hilarious characters from all across the animal kingdom. This Lizard Nobody is bound to be Somebody.
--Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell

Absolutely bananas and perfectly sweet--this world formed from Patrick Ness's wild imagination and populated by Tim Miller's huggable animals is one you will want to return to, for laughs and for the deeper themes of grief, bullying, and true friendship.
--Isabel Roxas, creator of the graphic novel series The Adventures of Team Pom

Wonderfully absurd.
--Bob Shea, author of Who Wet My Pants?

Readers will be cheering for Zeke, the largest lizard at school and the one with the most heart.
--Mika Song, author of Donut Feed the Squirrels

A pure absurd delight.
--Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production, School Library Journal

Anthropomorphic fun.
--Book Riot

About the Author

Patrick Ness is the New York Times best-selling author of A Monster Calls (inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd), which won both the Carnegie Medal and the Kate Greenaway Medal, was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist, and was made into a major motion picture for which he wrote the screenplay. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed and best-selling Chaos Walking trilogy, More Than This, Release, Different for Boys, The Rest of Us Just Live Here, and Burn. His many accolades include two Carnegie Medals, an Olivier Award, the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Book Trust Teenage Prize, and the Costa Children's Book Award. Patrick Ness lives in Los Angeles.

Tim Miller is the author-illustrator of Moo Moo in a Tutu, What's Cooking, Moo Moo?, Tiny Kitty, Big City, and Izzy Paints. He is also the illustrator of Horse Meets Dog by Elliott Kalan, Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book) and Snappsy the Alligator And His Best Friend Forever! (Probably) by Julie Falatko, Margarash by Mark Riddle, and the middle-grade series Hamstersaurus Rex by Tom O'Donnell. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and three rescue cats.