Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody

June 24, 2024
In this sincere, absurd anthropomorphic take on middle school, a young monitor lizard finds things spiraling out of control when he accidentally antagonizes the school bully. After being appointed hall monitor (not because he’s a monitor lizard—that’s just a coincidence), Zeke runs afoul of the bellicose pelican son of an international supervillain, classmate Pelicarnassus, who vows to make Zeke regret his actions. Now Zeke and his friends—effervescent Daniel and patient Alicia, both lizards, as well as hawk Miel, who is blind—must contend with a foe capable of procuring lasers and invading France (which is located on Zeke’s knee due to a curse placed upon his “great-great-great-great (or possibly great-great-great-great-great) grandfather”). Meanwhile, Zeke’s mother navigates persistent sadness about the death of his father; her grief is depicted as a black dog that “hung around his mom like a cloud.” Using over-the-top prose, Ness (Different for Boys) 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 (Izzy Paints) add whimsy and warmth. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Michelle Kass, Michelle Kass Associates. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

Starred review from July 1, 2024
Grades 3-5 *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. Zeke the monitor lizard has been made a hall monitor, and his duties put him in the path of bully pelican Pelicarnassus, who swears revenge on the kindly--and possibly even heroic--Zeke. There's a delightful absurdity to the BoJack Horsemanesque world building, through the animal dynamics and the fact that Zeke literally has the country of France on his knee (the rules of which are fully defined and, somehow, work). Miller's illustrations are very Tim Miller, a high compliment, delivering the trademark cute, (visually) deadpan humor through simple black-line drawings, and they soar when juxtaposed with Zeke's heartbreaking backstory about a dead father and a mother still despondent in grief, represented by a black dog that shadows her, a barrier between her and everyone else. The melting pot of animal species serves as an opportunity to explore stereotyping, though it's an underdeveloped theme thus far. Attempts at inclusivity fall a bit flat as well, as Zeke's large size, while shown as a strength, is made fodder for fatphobic bullying, and a blind falcon classmate is largely defined by his disability, serving too often as a punch line. Still, future installments promise room for development to this strong foundation that is sure to amuse and even move young middle-graders.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from July 15, 2024
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them, as this monitor lizard soon learns. Soon after Principal Wombat assures Zeke that she hasn't selected him to be a hall monitor just because he's a monitor lizard, he proves fairly inept at the job. He almost immediately punches local bully Pelicarnassus in the beak after a nasty encounter. Unfortunately, Pelicarnassus is the son of a supervillain, and after that fact is revealed, some of the wilder elements of this anthropomorphic school story come to the fore. For instance, because of an ancient family curse, the entire country of France appeared on Zeke's knee after the death of his father. Ness clearly has a talent for balancing heart with mind-blowing silliness and whimsy. Such elements combine perfectly when Zeke's mother, suffering from depression after the passing of Zeke's father, is followed by a literal black dog at all times. 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!(Fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from October 4, 2024

Gr 3-7-Shortly after being assigned the jobs of hall monitors, lizard Zeke and his lizard friends, Daniel and Alicia, get into a tussle with bird school bully Pelicarnassus. Hilarity and sincerity ensue as Pelicarnassus seeks revenge and Zeke scrambles to protect his home, friends, and school from the bully's supervillainous aspirations. And school isn't the only place that provides Zeke with obstacles. At home, Zeke lives alone with his mom who, with her black dog, has depression that Zeke tries to help her with. While juggling a chaotic school life and a taxing home life, Zeke manages to protect the country of France that lives on his knee (a curse passed down through generations), learns how to be a good friend to both old and new pals, and how to stand up for himself and make heroic decisions. Laughable and learnable moments make for a rollicking adventure. All characters are anthropomorphic. This is a great pick for striving readers, as Miller's black-and-white illustrations help to break up the chapters and bring the story to life. VERDICT 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.-Maryjean Riou

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.