The Carnegies

this book is interesting. Although it can be confusing at times it is hilarious and off piste. This book is amazing once you really dig in. It is a playful style of presenting characters. Bullies, hall monitors and a badass blind hawk.

Johnny
Dauntsey’s Carnegie Shadowing

very cool, fun read. nice.

Hugo
Dauntsey’s Carnegie Shadowing

This was a very nice read. Alicia was my favourite character (sorry Zeke), her bubbly charcter always improves my day! I also enjoy when it adds comedy like at the beginning (no spoilers). The only problem is that I know hate pelicans with every bone in my body.

Isabelle
SCD Pageturners

This book was really good if you like books that are quick and easy o read

Alys
St John’s Book Groups

While Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody comes with high praise, it ultimately fell short in my opinion. I didn't quite like how the book tries to balance incredibly silly, absurd humor with heavy, serious themes like bullying, grief, and parental depression. In my opinion these two tones felt completely mismatched, making the emotional moments feel jarring rather than impactful. The plot itself moves at a rather chaotic pace rather than building tension and instead- moving from one bizarre situation to the next making me feel unable to invest interest in the book.

Afizah
ShadowBookers

A truly unique and bonkers tale of school, injustice, tackling sterotypes and monitor lizards! Zeke is a smart, loyal and brave young lizard whose anger gets the better of him. Him and his pals, Alicia and Daniel, take on the role of hall monitors in a school of weird and whacky animals, but there's one thing in their way… Pelicarnassus, the cruel school bully is out to get Zeke. Will Zeke and his friends keep their hall Monitor sashes? Will Zeke learn how to control his temper? Will the lizards defeat Pelicarnassus once and for all?

Amy
Helkats & Hardbacks

I really liked the book! It was super fun and crazy. The story is about a lizard who is called Zeke because he is so much bigger than all the other lizards. He goes on adventures and finds brave and funny friends called Alicia, Daniel and Miel. I liked the part when Miel gets of thrown off the bus and runs to his dad for a hug. The characters in the book were so funny and made me want to see and read more. I think other kids will like it too because it has lots of excitement and funny parts. I give it 4.9 stars out of 5!

Scarlett
The Shady Bookhounds

Chronicles of a lizard nobody, by Patrick Ness is a really good book. Personally, I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars because it is enjoyable and well written but could do with a bit more explaining at some points in the story to make everything a bit clearer. The book is about a school for animals, mainly focusing on three young monitor lizards – Zeke and his friends Daniel and Alicia – who must work together to defeat the school bully, Pelicarnassus. With the help of their new friend Miel (a hawk), they make a valiant effort to save the school and its inhabitants from a wannabe supervillain pelican. I really liked the storyline of this book and the facts that some parts are a bit weird and whacky, like the part when the Principal Wombat shields the lizards with his armoured bottom! I like the style that the author writes it in, as there are bits where there are hidden meanings under the words the author had written, so there are lots of different ways of interpreting it. My favourite character was Alicia, because she is always just there in the background, but still manages to do something epic in the awesome parts! The book was very well written, as it incorporated lots of different elements, as there were sad bits, happy bits, and hilarious bits, too. I would recommend this to an age range of around 5-10. If I could change one thing about this book, I would put a bit more detail into the lives of the main characters, too, like a bit of background so we can understand their actions a bit better, but overall, I thought it was a really good book and would definetly recommend it to all readers.

Gaia
Helkats & Hardbacks

I really hated this book, its redeeming factor was the story of Zeke going through his school life and his hardships. The rest of it was hard to follow, random and quite corny. Its just extremely unrealistic for a book of Carnegie standard. In my opinion it was by far the worst Carnegie book.

Felix L
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody – Disappointing I was excited to read this but it turned out very disappointing. The title looked fun but the story is just random things happening with no clear plot or purpose. The main character is annoying and dumb. He keeps making silly mistakes, getting tied up or losing things, and he never learns anything. Patrick Ness is a good writer usually but here it feels like he wrote it too fast and didn't check it properly. The pictures are okay but some are too small and hard to see. The story jumps from place to place, school to forest to who knows where. There is no beginning, no middle, no end. I finished it and still didn't understand what it was about. The dialogue is bad too; everyone talks the same and lots of sentences make no sense. It says it is hilarious but I did not laugh once. Do not waste your time or money. It is confused, boring, and not worth reading. One star only because zero is not possible.

Peace
Vista Academy Littleport

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody was one of my favourite books. I really liked the pictures because they made the story more fun and kept me reading. The characters were funny and interesting, and I wanted to know what would happen next. It was the first book I read, and I loved its message about standing up to bullying and being yourself.

Lucas
Bookwizards

I found this book really enjoyable. It is such a stark contrast to the other books written by Ness. I absolutely loved the bird who wore sunglasses. I can't remember his name but he was hilarious. :)

Elise
SCD Pageturners

I didn't enjoy Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody very much. The story felt confusing, and a lot of the events didn't seem to connect properly. There were several parts where I wasn't sure what was happening or why it was important. Although the book had some creative ideas, I found it hard to stay interested because the plot didn't make much sense to me. The characters also weren't very memorable.

raqeeb
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a very funny book that also deals with serious themes such as bullying, poverty and mental health. Zeke, the main character of this story, goes through a lot in his childhood and his closest friend seems to be the only one genuinely looking out for him. He has two huge responsibilities, one to look after his mum and two to have the nation of France on his knee. These hardships are something that a child should never have to try and live with and Zeke does quite a good job of balancing all of these hardships in his life.

Harry
Bookwizards

I loved the book chronicles of a lizard nobody-Patrick ness. I’ll be honest, when I first got the book I was not happy, I didn’t want to read a book for younger children but as I got into it I began to love it! What’s great about it is younger children can read it as well and understand the topics like depression from a different point of view even if they don’t fully get what depression is yet. If that makes sense? Throughout this book I actually found myself laughing from some of the more silly bits in it, like when pelicarnus launches an attack on Zekes knee (which also has the country France on it-I found that funny too) or when Meil shouts all the time. The characters were fun and easy to like-well apart from pelicarnus he was just pure evil… all in all I thought this was a really good book to read and actually one of my favourites!

Frankie
Tractors

Lizard nobody is a hilariously funny book that highlights people's darker side of life people don't see. For example mental health and hidden disablity's. Overall it is an amazing book for people struggling but for a younger age group.

Meriel
Waddesdon Shadowers 26

I loved this book because of how it was a bit chaotic and the twist when Zeke had his window smashed by Pelicarnassus, t was funny... and when Zeke punched Pelicarnassus across the room and then Zeke got expelled, that bit was good too. THIS WAS BOOK WAS MY FAVVVVVV X

Poppy
Brookie Reads

This book was hilarious! I really loved the characters, especially Miel. There were some important messages in the book too about how to deal with bullies, and how your friends are important. I loved the book so much that I asked for the next one in the series from the library, and all my friends have read this book too. This was our group's favourite from all the ones we've read this year.

Evelyn
Abergele Reading Friends

A charming read that shows how friends are important and needed in times of crisis

Amelia
Horsham BOok HUNTers

lizard nobody is a really good book i like how they have combined it with graphic novel and fiction it really helps me imagine in my head what's going on.

Catherine
Sale High Readers

Hilarious its a brilliant book

Thomas
Sale High Readers

This book is about 2 monitor lizards, Daniel and Zeke, who have just been made hall monitors by Principle Wombat. Their friend, Alicia, who is the only other monitor lizard in the school, is also a hall monitor. These 3 hall monitors try to enforce needing a hall pass to be in the halls onto animals far larger and stronger than themselves, which is a difficult task in itself. And making it a lot harder is Pelicarnassus, a large pelican who is also the son of an international supervillain. He hates the hall monitors for seemingly no reason, and is making their job increasingly more difficult. I quite enjoyed this book but it felt a little childish for me.

Lucas
The Fitzharrys Shadows

I thought it was a good book and liked how it touched on important, quite heavy topics, in what came across as a humerus way. I loved the characters and thought they were very original and interesting. I liked how it was quite an easy read and didn’t feel tiring or boring.

Georgia
LSST Library Shadowers

Lizard Nobody is a thoughtful and engaging story about identity and belonging. The main character is relatable and faces challenges that feel realistic. The book explores friendship, self-acceptance, and growing up in a meaningful way. Overall, it is an enjoyable read with an important message.

Ishaan
MTS Northwood

This book was not my type of book although I did find it incredibly funny. The main character is a lizard called Zeek and he goes to a school full of loads of different animals. He is bullied by a pelican called Pelicarnasis whose mum is a super villain. One day when Zeek and his two friends are made hall monitors and get picked on by Pelicarnasis. Zeek punches him and this is where terrible trouble begins. For not just him but the whole school.

Hermione
HHS 2026

This book was quite a good read. It wouldn’t be one I would read again, because it’s a bit young, but the messages are strong and I love the awareness it gives about mental health and bullying for younger children. For example, the metaphor of “the black dog” is really clever and it put into perspective the challenges that people with depression face and also the struggles of the rest of the family, in this case, Zeke. The power of friendship is the main focus of this book in my opinion. Zeke and his two friends, Daniel and Alicia, all stick together throughout the book and both of Zeke’s friends look after him when his mum is struggling and the bully is being horrible to him. They always have his back and he gets through all of the difficult situations because of it. What I love the most is that he doesn’t mean to be a hero, and he isn’t a hero, but still he and his friends work together to stop pelicarnasaurus. The author of this book doesn’t make Zeke into a strong, athletic character, he just makes him brave, but not too brave. And even at the end, He needs his friends to be with him the whole way and without them, he wouldn’t have been able to do it. I think this book was a good read, and as a younger kid I would have really liked it. The messages are clear and I love how funny it is the whole time, especially Daniel who is just really random. Also I like Miel, who is blind but doesn’t mean he can’t help when the others are stopping pelicarnasaurus.

Elsie
Tractors

I thought that Chronicles of a lizard nobody was an enjoyable book as it was fun and covered important topics , such as how bullying is wrong and we shouldn't judge what people are like because of how we look. Although i overall i enjoyed the book the ending was too weird and i didn't like it at all.

Robin
LGA Page Turners

i found it easy to read but i didnt really find it interesting

carol
St Mary Magdalene Story Seekers

It was quite an easy read, I enjoyed the book but I would have liked something more challenging, as it felt like something you would read in year 4 or year 5. the book followed Zeke through a while at school, and had some confusing things in it, like France on Zeke's knee, and had lots of elements to the story which when you were reading it made it annoying and hard to follow. If you like to read funny, silly, weird and unusual books, this book is for you.

Anna
Larkmead

This book was very difficult to follow and I still don't get the concept of France being on his knee - it doesn't feel very thought out. It was completely bonkers and some parts of it didn't really make sense to me, though I believe that it had a bit of potential as it is quite funny.

Annabel
Cake a Book Club

This book felt targeted towards younger children. It was very difficult to understand what was happening. I still don't understand why France is on his knee and how this works. I think Zeke is an annoying teacher's pet and he shouldn't be taking the hall monitor that seriously.

Cece
Cake a Book Club

It is a good book which contains good understandable text to follow along. I feel this book clearly highlights bullying and it was great to see the lizard standing up to the pelican.

Ethan
Walkden Readers 26

It was good.

Mary-Ann
Bassingbourn Readers

I like the simple writing style. I find it very easy to follow and I like the overall goofiness of the plot and I like the silly illustrations and how they don't take away from the story and add character without being boring :D

Ashe
Bassingbourn Readers

A good book with a interesting mix of characters, which explored themes of friendship and being different. It's set in a sort of fantasy world which mirrors our one but the plot of what's happening is a little difficult to follow. Overall it's a great book with a good ending.

Eva M
BFS Umbra

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is a book set in a American school where the main characters are animals, including a trio of monitor lizards. The book contains black and white illustrations that look a bit like doodles alongside the text. I thought it was quite fun and silly and something that my nine year old brother would enjoy as it is aimed at younger readers.

Hannah
SDG Reads

This is a book which I really like about a character whose life has gone south. I really like the end.

Arthur
The Fitzharrys Shadows

'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' manages to tackle some tough themes in a way suitable for a younger audience - the humour presented in the book can be appreciated by all ages, even though one certain knee-related plot point was a little confusing to get through. Overall, a nice story to read!

James
Southmoor Shadowers

"Chronicles of a lizard nobody" follows a monitor lizard called Zeke through his time at school and his troubled home life. At the start I found it rather hard to engage with this book (it being written for a younger age group) and it never really picked up the pace for me. I did however find that this book had some hidden meaning behind it and explained many hard topics, such as depression, in a way that made them very understandable for younger children. Although I found this book a bit too childish for me, I certainly saw the appeal in it and I thought it was very cleverly written, in a way that made the fairly serious topics discussed in the book seem more simple and sometimes, even funny. Perfect for children 9 or younger, laughter guaranteed.

Ivo
The Shady Bookhounds

The Chronicles of a Nobody Lizard was a funny and easy read. The personality for each character really suited the animal. It was really adventurous and uses a lot of imagination, it was also really easy to picture. The cartoon drawings in the book suggest it’s for younger children but overall it was a good book.

Nyree
FCC Book Group

Chronicles of a lizard nobody was quite an easy read with simple characters and not much of a plot. The cartoon pictures suggest it might be aimed at younger years however it does cover some hard themes like neurodiversity, poverty and disability. I sort of enjoyed this book and found it quite entertaining but at times quite confusing (France on his knee??) and overall not a great book for me.

Olivia
Bramcote College Library

I really enjoyed reading Diary of a Lizard Nobody because it was funny and different from other books I have read. The story is about a young lizard called Zeke who feels like he does not fit in and struggles to make friends. I liked how the book was written like a diary because it made it easy to understand Zeke’s thoughts and feelings. My favourite part was seeing how Zeke changed throughout the story and became more confident. The characters were interesting, and some parts made me laugh. The book also teaches an important lesson about friendship and being yourself. I would recommend this book to people in Year 7 because it is fun to read and has a good message.

Noah
BUCS Library Book Club

The book has an overall good book cover with good use of colour and detail the blurb is funny and good hook for children. It only took me a few days to read the book. The book followed Zeke, a shy school mascot, learns to be brave during some strange events at school. The main themes were friendship and confidence. I think this book is suitable for Middle school pupils as it’s quite funny and relatable. I enjoyed how the characters were really well described and created. However, some parts were quite new for children that would be reading it topics such as mental health and confidence. My favourite moment was when the main boy Zeke finds the courage to stand out. I would rate this book a 3/10 because it was not for my age range. I would recommend this book for younger audiences and I think it deserves a Carnegie medal.

Tanisha
Gibraltar Carnegie Scholars

Ava
Court Fields Bookworms

good book, easy read, like a comic but in chapters, enjoyable book

Emanuel
Belsize Stories

“Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody” is probably one of the most controversial reads I have come across since starting Carnegie. It is truly a wildly imaginative novel with a lot of heart and humour. Whilst the characters themselves seem a little unconventional, I still think the narrative tackles heavy, real-world themes, like bullying and neurodiversity, with necessary maturity. For me initially, the themes weren’t properly received, likely due to the style and the humour being almost overwhelming and the main focal point of the story. However, I appreciate that Ness hasn’t conveyed these themes as ‘doom and gloom’, especially how that seems to be the only lens we naturally view them in and offers a more light-hearted and hopeful perspective. The characters, being actual animals with Ness interspersing true facts throughout the book, are hilarious and quirky, and it’s honestly a shame that I didn’t personally receive it well because it does have potential. This is a laugh-out-loud read that sadly, isn’t for me.

Cianna
The Narrative Navigators

A funny laugh out loud book that faces some hard problems in a well mannered way. Beautifully written charming book about a lizard who saves the world. Perfect for young readers or people that are just looking for a laugh.

Bruno
The Fitzharrys Shadows

I think this book was very childish and poorly written, with little to no detail. As well as that, it drove me mad as it had no logic especially to why you would have France on your knee. It just wasn't really my cup of tea with the storyline either as it just took too long to get to the action in my opinion and when it did it was sort of just a let down and I was expecting more.

Amelia
Bassingbourn Readers

I like this book because it has the right amount of pictures and words for a 7 year old. It is very interesting and has a brilliant plot twist, and for some people it might be how they feel about school (bullying). I really like the pictures, for me it helps me imagine the story so that I am in the story not sat at home reading.

Esther
Plumites

It was a good book but I would recommend it to children in lower primary school because it was a light-hearted funny story with a bunch of random aspects to it that just made the story what it is.

Elizabeth
Sir Roger Manwood’s School Book Club

I really liked the book because I love the action in the story ands the drama between Zeke and Pelicanaruss[the pelican}I would say this is a 9.5/10

Thamina
Court Fields Bookworms

thought this book was boring and badly written i have not enjoyed any of these author's books and the illustrations added nothing to the story

freya
Sale High Readers

THE LIZARD NOBODY IS ABOUT TWO LIZARDS THAT ARE FRIENDS AND THEY MEET ANOTHER LIZARD AT A JOB INTERVIEW AT A SCHOOL. THEY GET THE JOB TOGETHER AS HALL MONITORS AND MEET A ENEMY THAT IS A PELICAN. MY FAVOURITE PART IS WHEN THEY ALL MEET HIM AND THEY BECAME ENEMIES . YOU WILL LIKE THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE PICTURES AND NOT JUST WORDS AND IT'S REALLY FUNNY.

Caelan
Vista Academy Littleport

The Chronicles of lizard nobody was a good book it was funny but unfortunately i think it was a bit childish. ⭐⭐⭐✨ 3 and a half stars ✨=half star

Keval
Willow Book Whispers

Sofia
BFS Umbra

I love this book as it mixes heart warming and comedy together nicely. I love how it has real facts about the animals and I love how there are no humans, just animals. Amazing book overall.

Valerie
Redhill Reviewers

Eunice
BFS Umbra

I found this book Ok. I think it would be better suited for a younger target audience. I just found the style a bit childish for me and found some of the humour missed the mark. This is probably because it wasn't aimed at my age group (15 years). I would recommend for younger children.

Oliver
The Shadows of Silverdale

I found this book pretty interesting because it challenges a lot about stereotypes of different races and these races are represented by different species of animals. I found this interesting because the main character himself is challenged because he is expected to be smaller and more cold-blooded acting (because he is a lizard and for some reason has France on his knee and it has been passed down the generations of his family.) Another thing I like is this book has a metaphor of his mother's sickness- a black dog- this dog stops her getting out of bed, making food and living her daily life and I quite like this metaphor as it feels like we can see this sickness as something more than just another obstacle in a story. Now moving on to the topic of the story I feal like the characters have good character behind them, the story isn't to rushed but absolutely packed with interestingness and ballistically funny but the end seems a bit out of the blue and almost like the author wanted to get it over with so they could do something else. Overall, it has to definitely be a 4.78/5 because this book fresh compared to all the almost identical school stories out there today.

Freddie
Willow Book Whispers

When I first read the blurb of Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody, I thought it sounded really weird, but in a good way. A hall monitor lizard having to stop a supervillain pelican is not something you hear about every day. It sounds like the sort of book that is funny but also has some important messages about friendship and bullying. I like books that mix humour with adventure, so this is a book I would probably pick up and read. The illustrations look fun as well and seem to match the silly style of the story.

Kristia
Winchmore School Carnegie Group 2025/26

Lily
The Chapter Chasers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a book that should be considered to be looked at a younger audience. I enjoyed some of the funnier parts, like when we are told that hawks can only yell. I did enjoy it, I found that it was a interesting book and rather funny at places. I liked this book, but it wasn't my favourite. 3/5

Andrea
CSGS Page Turners 26

This would be ok for younger readers and alright if it were separate stories but in my opinion it just seems like a bunch of weird different stories all stuck together. I don’t know how this managed to get into the shortlist. If I was rating it, I would give it one star. In my opinion, it is not very good and my friends think so too. The plot is very confusing and strange.

Sophie
Bassingbourn Readers

I found the book quite funny and I found it weirdly similar to captain Underpants. Anyways this book was completely bonkers I loved Zeke he was so funny and Miel he was also up there. And this book was also similar to school life fast shaming, intimidation and everything . Anyways I would give this book a solid 8/10

LAKSH L
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

This isn't usually what I read, so I was a bit reluctant to start it. However, I ended up liking it. And it was a really easy read, so I finished it in under a day.

Ezekiel
Mansell Library Reviewers

So good i loved it i want to read more your booksi have never read something so intresting before 10 out of 10

Madison
Sidmouth Insiders

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a hilarious children's book about a monitor lizard named Zeke, who, in a random way has France on his knee?? Personally, I found this a bit weird and hard to understand about Zeke. Patrick Ness has a talent to express problems in a metaphorical and child friendly way, like the black dog that follows Zeke's mum. I found this book quite "messy" and quite hard to connect to the main three characters. However I have recommended it to my aunt who works with children.

Pola
The Fitzharrys Shadows

I thought this book was aimed at younger readers so I didn't enjoy it as much as younger people would. However, I liked how they handled and represented topics of depression and neglect.

Amelie
JCA Book Club

I found this a quick, engaging and funny read and I really enjoyed it. I would rate it a 10/10.

Musa H 7P
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a silly book about a lizard in school with an evil narcissistic archenemy. This book is a very funny book which gave me the chuckles by the first page (the monitor lizards become -unironically- hall monitors). I know many people loved this book but, personally, I didn't like it that much. I thought that while it is meant to be a funny book -which it is- I think it was a bit it wild and unpredictable, with someone trying to destroy the school in a robot and then the hero's find out that the hall monitor sashes shoot lasers. I just think it isn't serious enough. Others would disagree and say that his mum having a metaphor of depression as the black dog is quite serious and used to talk to smaller kids about it and how it contained characters like Miel with disabilities but I think that it wasn't focussed on enough for it to be a theme in the book or too show people how devastating depression is. Overall I think this book is a good option for younger audiences, providing: humour, mental health, disabilities, friendship and bullying.

HalLawton
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

A lovely, quick, funny read and it was a nice first book to read on the scheme!

Lola
Epsomians

I didn’t end up finishing this book as I found that it wasn’t really for me. I prefer contemporary reads, but it is well written and I think that others would find it really easy to read and exciting, so I would definitely recommend it if you like something gentle and historical.

Eloise
Epsomians

I found this a quick, engaging and funny read and I really enjoyed it

LOLA
Epsomians

While yes, I did mostly enjoy the book, it wasn't revolutionary, and felt quite young, especially for Carnegies, which usually comes out with some very emotional books that cover very deep, interesting topics. Even as a comedy book, it wasn't particularly funny, and the plot was very basic. I'm pretty sure the"black dog" was supposed to represent his mum's depression, however not only was this barely explored in the book, with the giant evil robot laser pelican taking a lot more focus, feeling rather thrown in there instead of an actual part of the book. Overall, I enjoyed it somewhat, but it wasn't amazing.

Edward L
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

This book was great until the climax. The characters were pretty good, and it's a story of friendship. However, the whole France thing just doesn't really work for me. It seems like it's used to advance the story in a way that I don't like. The climax really felt like Patrick Ness lost the plot on this book, because there isn't enough explanation for what happens, especially compared to some of his other books - like Chaos Walking - where a lot of the stuff that happens (like the "Noise") are explained thoroughly and make sense. I liked how the story was told, but some of the events aren't properly explained. 6/10

Thomas
Hope Valley Literati

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a funny book that, in my opinion, was aimed at a younger audience, maybe 8-10 year olds. However, I did enjoy it, I found that it was an enjoyable book to lift me up on a difficult day. I enjoyed some of the funnier parts, like when we are told that hawks can only yell. Another thing I liked was that Zeke had France on his knee. How it got there is very interesting, but I won’t say any more here – you will have to read it to find out! I liked this book, but it was not my personal favourite because I felt it was for an audience younger than myself.

Emma
Larkmead

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody was a fun read. Although the book was slightly young for me, I still enjoyed it throughout. There was only one part that I didn’t really like, which was France being on Zeke's knee. I didn’t think it added to the story, and I thought it was a bit random. However, I enjoyed how Ness subverted the usual 'main character wants to be a hero' trope and makes Zeke just want to be ordinary. Overall, I enjoyed Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody and I would recommend it particularly to younger readers in the 8-12 age bracket.

Louis
The Fitzharrys Shadows

i really enjoyed it i havent finished it fully but it was really fun and overall just the best book from the carniages and i feel like it had nice plot kind of and i give it 7/10. :)

Yvette
Thames Park Page Turners

I really liked reading this book about a lizard called Zeke, who is constantly being threatened by his school’s bully - the pelican. The pelican perfectly fits to this role because of his advantages like being able to fly or being one of the strongest birds. Yet as Zeke grows taller then the pelican, one of his friends, Miel (surprisingly a bird as well!) - brings in the irony of ‘one tyrant being stronger then another’. This book is heart-warming and it shows how great it is when you have got friends. It has got a bit of fantasy to it as well- when towards the end, the pelican builds a giant robot thing and destroys the school; The concept of animals and birds going to school is itself, a fantasy! Also the pelican as a bully, he feels like he is not a natural bully because he just seems to be so childish. I think this story flows really well and the pictures match the words really nicely. Overall, I would rate this book 9.5/10.

Irynei
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

Pages 1–50: First Impressions & Style The book starts off and Tim Millers illustrations are really cool. I read this part fast it only took me 5 minutes. The writing is simple which is okay because this book is for kids who're 8 to 12 years old. The authors writing style is funny. I like the idea of a school where all the studentsre animals and there is a monitor lizard named Zeke who is in charge of keeping order. Pages 51–100: Character Development This part is where the characters in the book start to develop. Zeke is a character that you can relate to because he just wants to get through school and deal with kids who're mean to him. The conversations between the characters happen quickly which is good if you like to skim through the pages. The introduction of Pelicarnassus the pelican guidance counselor is both funny and strange. The characters in the book interact well with each other. They feel like characters in a cartoon than real people. Pages 101–150: Plot & Pace Variation The story gets a bit crazy here in the book. It turns into a wild and strange school story. The plot of the book feels a bit random. There is a death ray and a big battle that happens. If you are skimming through the pages of the book it is easy to get lost in the story because it is so crazy. The fast pace of the book keeps you reading the book. Pages 151–208: Final Resolution & Lasting Impression The ending of the book wraps up quickly. It feels good to read the ending of the book. Zeke stands up for himself in the book. Under all the jokes about animals in the book the book tries to deal with themes like friendship and being yourself and dealing with sad parents. The book Zeke is, in tries to teach you something.

Binyamin
BAS Reading Champions

I wasn't a big fan of this book. I felt like it was too young for me and I definitely wouldn't recommend this to people similar in age to me. I found the bit about France made it very confusing and not that easy to read.

Henry W-R
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Janice
BUCS Library Book Club

This book is about a bunch of different animals with the main one being a monitor lizard who has France on his knee! It is aimed at a younger audience of say 9 year olds as it is a comedic novel and covers some important topics all while making it enjoyable to read. I personally found it a bit hard to read as it got a bit cringe at some points as it was aimed for a younger audience however I can see people enjoying it and it wasn't written out badly either. Overall I do like Patrick Ness and he continues to write great novels.

dainton
Vista Academy Littleport

I enjoyed the Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody however I found it a bit confusing other than this it was quite an easy, nice read with morals and lessons. Zeke learns to stand up for himself and shows courage. It's a book about friendship and overcoming obstacles.

Freddie
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

Elianna
Sandroyd Bookivores

I am not a fan of this book due to the very weird plot but it would be good for the age group it is recommended for.

Charlotte
Fullbrook Bookworms

3 monitor lizards are made hall monitors until the school bully is rude to them. The lizards and their friend end up saving the school (and France!). I really enjoyed this book, especially at the end when Zeke came home to find his mum well again! 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Callie
Montsaye Shadow Readers

This is a book for poeple who like wild, funny, and bizarre adventures. There are many bizarre things in this book like all of France on a knee! You should also read this book because their are loads of animal characters.

Janson
SJCSChatterbooks

Lottie
The White Harts Book Club

MsH
The White Harts Book Club

I really liked this book, one thing I liked was the funny cartoon illustrations. There was a lot of interesting and hillarious plot twists. I would rate this 5/5 stars.

Matilda
Kingdown Wilts

Oscar
The Chapter Chasers

I think this book is OK, I can see some younger people liking it much more but I enjoyed the light-heartedness of it. I also really enjoyed the character designs in the comic-style sections.

Oscar (Occa)
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is about a lizard called Zeke, and his life both at home, and at school. He encounters several situations and problems, but he gets through it all in the end. The book is quite interesting as all the characters are animals. The themes include bullying, friendship, and stereotypes. I felt that stereotypes were quite prominent throughout the book. For example, Zeke has two other lizard friends, and a lot of people at his school expect them to all behave the same, but they don’t, as they are all unique. The story has some quite strange bits though. For example, Zeke has France (Yes, the country France) on his knee! (If you want to know how it got there, you will have to read the book yourself!) My favourite moment in the book was when Zeke and his friends defeated Pelicarnassus (Zeke’s bully) as it was a really happy moment for Zeke as he had been having a really bad time before that, and something good had finally happened to him. The writing style is very enjoyable, and easy-going, but I would say that it was a bit young for me. I recommended it to my younger brother (he’s 10) and he really enjoyed it. I would rate the book 7/10, but people younger than me may rate it higher as it is more suitable for them.

Lauren
Watford Girls

The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a fantastic book about a monitor lizard who is categorised into being a hall monitor because he is a MONITOR lizard, and his daily life at school, as he faces having to deal with an evil pelican as a bully and having the whole of France on his knee! The book goes through what it’s like to be seen as someone who isn’t treated with enough respect and also a little bit of approval which is needed for the main character, Zeke. Zeke also is seen as a good character because he is friends with another monitor lizard who has ADHD, and he deals with his friends differences in a very understanding way, helping to guide others on how to react to his actions in appropriate ways. Zeke also has a friend who is blind and Zeke helps him through school life as well. I would recommend this book for beginner readers because it has a decent amount of writing but also pictures to keep the reader intrigued and laughing all the way through.

Ben
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

One of my favourite things about this book, much like Popcorn, is that the hidden themes are very powerful. The first hidden theme is bullying. The main trio constantly faces isolation because they are brought in under a blending program much like modern racism for me this felt like a good way to portray it. The next theme of depression. Zeke’s mother’s depression has a major impact on him and because of it he is distinctly lonely. I liked the way how Ness shows even parents have flaws. Finally the theme of being ‘fatherless’ which makes Zeke’s loneliness worse it also shows that when family fails you, friends can step in which I found very powerful.

Niam
MTS Northwood

I would give this book a 1star out of 10 because I found that it didn’t flow and I didn’t like the way the story is written and that I found that the pictures didn’t match with the way I imagined it.

Sophie
Bassingbourn Readers

This book was easy to read but the story was confusing at first. Some parts didn't make sense but later it didn't which confused me as I had to look back sometimes

abdul moeez
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

This book is a ridiculous blend of hilarious, bonkers and absolutely brilliant. It will simultaneously crack you up and make you want to cry. This book is a multi-layered masterpiece of funny, nonsensical scenarios and a deeper, more emotional and metaphoric meaning of grief, depression, and true friendship. This book is amazing, and I can't wait for the sequel.

Alex
Reading’s Readers

i absolutely adored this book. it was so funny and interesting. it honestly felt like a doctor who episode, and i wasnt that surprised when it turned out the author had written something doctor who related. it handled the sensitive subjects in it really well.

Anthony
Reading’s Readers

I think Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a really funny book. When you look at the front cover you expect something completley different to what's actually written inside. The contents of what is written are relatable to real life. It also addresses important issues such as bullying. Overall it's a really funny book that I think lots of people will enjoy.

Harrison
Reading’s Readers

Chapter 1 Hall Monitors: The first chapter is about two lizards named 'Zeke and Daniel'. Who got chosen to be Hall Monitors by the 'Principle Wombat'. What Hall Monitors do is watching and making sure people/students around school and behave and don't get into trouble. Chapter 2 Monitoring the halls: This next chapter is when Zeke, Danie; and Alicia about to start their Hall Monitor work and when they are arguing who is the best lizard hall monitor, someone appeared and it was someone called 'Pelicarnassus. Chapter 3 Pelicarnassus: This chapter is about the pelican called 'Pelicarnassus' had met the three lizards for the first time and talk about what he's doing and what he wants.

Oscar
The Chapter Chasers

Overall, the idea of the book is original in the sense that it is quite absurd in its presentation. However, when you see past the strangeness of the characters and the stories, the situations shown throughout the book are heartwarming and relatable, whilst also possessing many touching morals. It features and incredibly creative premise, and therefore it hooks readers instantly into its bizarre yet surprisingly relatable world. I think that the ending is credible and it suites the book; the themes presented (such as friendship, empathy, and power dynamics) are relatable to the readers as well and therefore involves them quite a bit, but they are presented in an absurd and crazy way which does not seem credible at all. The main characters in the book are very relatable to the readers, and their motivations, reactions and emotions are believable. Underneath the humour, the characters have genuine feelings of yearning to belong and isolation, so the reader can empathise. It is an incredibly easy and relaxed read, and it moves at a fast pace, hooking readers into the story. This absurdity is the perfect medium for conveying the morals of friendship and exploring feelings of belonging and acceptance. However, my only criticism is the fact that sometimes, the situations in the story are too strange and unnecessary for the plot to advance. I appreciate that it brings a sense of playfulness to the plot, but for me there were aspects that were inessential for the plot to move forward and still have the same effect on the reader. Ultimately, is a brilliant read, and the messages portrayed throughout are truly heartwarming.

Evy
MTS Northwood

I found this book a bit too silly and a bit too stupid as I thought Carnegies had books for older people and this one would probably be for 5+

henry
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Love the book. I felt I could really understand the humor and could connect to the charcters

Albie
SHS Book Club

It was a very intense book but it is very good.

Lewis
Freddy Reads!

I loved the illustrations and how it reminds me of a comic book. I was confused on how France got on Zekes knees but the reason was interesting

Rae
Vista Academy Littleport

The book was pretty funny but it felt a little childish in my opinion.

Haajrah
HGCSC Library

The Lizard Nobody is a thoughtful and engaging book, with certain themes such as identity and belonging. At first I would say the lizard is overlooked, which is making the readers sympathise with his emotions. As time goes on in the book, the character gradually that to be different is not bad, but great. This book is so enjoyable, by this message being presented so powerfully. I would say this book is amazing for a younger audience, with some of the certain themes within it. The writer effectively uses the lizards experiences to teach important lessons about determination and kindness, with the book being quite easy to read it can be read by a wide range of readers. My overall opinion on the book is I think it is great how inspiring and encouraging the book is teaching young people great lessons on determination and being different is not a weakness but a strength.The only downfall of this book to me was sometimes in certain areas it was not as engaging, I thought the book was great to read and I really like the layout and the writing style. I would really recommend this book.

Sebastian
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

The contrast between tragedy and comedy in the book is striking; I enjoyed the vivid characters and illustrations.

Sophie
Horsham BOok HUNTers

Overall I found Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody quite a childish book. The book had some good parts where they both got kicked out of school and when they both had a fight. I enjoyed this book so I would give it an 6/10

Jack a
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I loved the book. It was all about a lizard trying to stop a pelican and the lizards being hall monitors. It is for all audiences and it has very nice illustrations and I think it is very creative when the writer put France on Zeki’s knee and it makes its funny. Overall I love the book and its is great read for all.

Jacob
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

Chronicles of Lizard Nobody is a quirky and whimsical story of a lizard named Zeke with a struggling mum. Zeke has been chosen to be a hall monitor along with his best friends from birth Danniel and Alicia, by their wombat head teacher. Zeke is my favourite character because he has France on his knee: it sounds like such a hassle, but I think it's cool because you get free cheese. It's a really good, strange book with hidden meaning ( the black dog ) and I really recommend this to people who like humorous and different books.

Arietty
The Shady Bookhounds

Zeke and his friends are hall monitors until Pelicarnassus the antagonist in the story provoked Zeke causing a fight between them. Unfortunately principle Wombat saw the fight costing Zeke his hall monitor sash. Zeke was very upset after that although Zeke saw a new kid called Miel he was a blind hawk. Daniel , Alicia and Zeke wanted to befriend him to help defeat the school bully Pelicarnassus. Pelicarnassus was a wannabe supervillain and he wanted to invade France in Zeke' s knee for revenge after Zeke hit him. The next day Pelicarnassus brought a giant robot to school to try to destroy Zeke and his friends. Carelessly, Pelicarnassus destroyed the whole school to try to kill Zeke. Fortunately the monitor sashes had powers and Alicia and Daniel defeated Pelicarnassus. I loved that the characters were animals because it made the book more different and interesting also more enjoyable to read. I didn't like that the book was short because this book is one of my top 10 favourites. In summary, I would recommend this book to anyone to read because it is interesting and family friendly.

karol
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

The book was hilarious and interesting. What I liked most was the Pelicarnassus scene. I loved reading it!

Aws
Wetherby Prep Book Club

I was first drawn to the book Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness because of its front cover. The colours of the cover were bold, the illustrations looked chaotic and funny which gave me the impression that the story was going to be silly, full of mischief and bonkers. I was not proven wrong. We are introduced early on to its main characters, our heroes; Zeke, (who has the country France on his leg, yes the actual country) Alicia, Daniel (who are all lizards) and a supervillain named Pelicarnassus, who would you believe is a Pelican! The story begins with the three heroes becoming hall monitors for their school. This is a great privilege and one the heroes have been working towards. It is when the three heroes become hall monitors that we are introduced to the school bully Pelicarnassus. Our hall monitors, the heroes, work together to confront Pelicarnassus. The book suggests that friends can help you find your voice and stand up for what’s right and that when friends support each other, bullies lose their power. Which draws me on to my favourite part of the story, when Zeke stands up to Pelicarnassus. The story shows that courage doesn’t mean not being scared, it means doing the right thing even when you are. In my opinion, I thought the book was funny and adventurous. The illustrations really supported this. I would recommend this book to my friends.

William
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody. It is relatable and sometimes a bit emotional . The main character is Zeke, a lizard who feels like a nobody at school. I think lots of people can relate to that because everyone feels left out sometimes. My favourite thing about the book was the characters. Zeke is kind and I wanted him to succeed and my favourite character was Miel. It had a few funny moments that made me smile like the moment when Zeke stood up to Pellicinarsus. Even though the characters are animals, they act like real people and have real problems. I also liked how easy of a read it was as I am a very busy person and don’t have the time or energy to read a book. I also liked the red side of the book so it looked appealing. However I thought it would be better than it is as the actual story is not exciting as not much happens at all really. It drew my eye but you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.

Toby
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

I found this book a really easy read for someone like me who doesn’t really read a lot but also gets a really clear point across in the fact that bullying is everywhere no matter how big or small. And what it can have on a person's life, like Zeke. Whose life is already hard enough by his mum basically been trapped by this big, black dog and him having to care for her while balancing school and Pelacarniccus, a big pelican bully who is only there to make people’s life miserable. However, I thought it got a little bit chaotic at the end with all the mechs and laser satchels. But overall a really clear but ridiculous and easy read.

Charlie
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness focuses on a monitor lizard, Zeke, and his problems and life. I really enjoyed all the different characters, and how different animals do different things, such as how birds always wear hats, or how hawks can only talk by shouting. These different creative ideas made the book much more entertaining for me, and made me laugh a lot. On the other hand, I felt that there was not enough structure or logic to the book, with too many seemingly random events happening in rapid succession, making it hard to get into the book and fully enjoy it. I think it also explores depression in a simpler, more child friendly way, by using a big black dog to embody the negative emotions. It is a book written for younger readers, so also was a very easy read but evidently was not as enjoyable as it could have been. Overall this book is quite funny, although lacked structure and had a random and jumbled plot, and I would rate this a 3/10.

Oliver
The Fitzharrys Shadows

Chronicles Of A Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is a book about friendship, bravery and responsibility. The story follows Zeke, a monitor lizard as he gets into a fight and loses his hall monitor duties. Through the story Zeke and his friends Daniel and Alicia face a wannabe supervillain, make a new friend and protect France. I recommend this book for readers 6+ as a funny and adventurous story that all kids and adults will love to read at any time.

Annabelle
The Fitzharrys Shadows

Zeke is a monitor lizard and with his friends, Daniel and Alicia, he becomes a hall monitor. However, this brings its challenges: Pelicarnassus the bully. Pelicarnassus is a pelican who wants to be a supervillain and tries to destroy the school! Will Zeke be be able to save everyone? I liked this book because it was funny – Zeke having France on his knee - and the style was different to my normal reads. However, I felt it would be better for younger readers (7 – 10). Saying that, I like to read funny books like this after reading a more serious one so 'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' would be perfect for that. Overall, this book is good but slightly childish for me. 5.5/10

Alice
Larkmead

This book, "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody", follows a protagonist (Zeke) who is essentially being bullied and has to navigate the difficulties of school and new friendships with animals of different class. Throughout the story, the author presents a creative and unique perspective which makes the book unlike anything else I have read. All of the characters being animals was very unique, and a country sitting on the protagonists knee was humorous and different. I enjoy how the humour and unusual style make the story engaging and entertaining to follow. However, despite the originality of the book, I felt that some parts of the story lacked emotional depth and were not as memorable as I had hoped. Although there were enjoyable moments throughout, the book did not leave a particularly lasting impact on me. Lacking emotional depth, predictable story structure of protagonist vs villain and themes explored only on surface level (any of the themes listed for this book other than humour) make me question how this book made the shortlist this year. To conclude, "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" is an imaginative read with an interesting concept that many readers may enjoy, but is ultimately lacking compared to other books in the shortlist. I would probably recommend this book to younger readers below the age of 9.

Atharva
MTS Northwood

I am not a big fan of this book because I think it is written in a style for younger people but with themes for older kids. I don’t think this book really fits into any specific categories. I don’t really see any real goals or main adventures in this book, no places that the book is going to. Those were the things I think make a book and this didn’t have any of them.

Henry
The Fitzharrys Shadows

Epic adventure, great character description and definitely one of the best book ive read in the last few months.

Lea
Central Teen Reading Group

I would say that I somewhat enjoyed reading Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody, since it felt like a break from the other, more serious books. The plot/storyline was a bit simple, but it still explored bullying well, while still feeling light-hearted. I felt the use of animals in the school instead of people made it less grounded in real life, but it still felt relevant enough. The "France on Zeke's knee" was... an interesting concept, though a bit confusing - it didn't really add that much to the plot in my opinion. I think that Miel showed how a little kindness and friendship towards someone can go a long way. While the ending was meant to teach forgiveness, I felt that the idea of pardoning your enemies is, in truth, a bit unrealistic, especially when they tried to kill you and destroy the school. 7/10.

Aashaz Z.
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is both really funny and very empathetic at the same time - it balances relatability and comedy perfectly. The relationships between the characters are strong and you feel attached to the characters very quickly.

Zeb
PA TBC

I liked this book- to an extent. It got absolute ridiculous by the end and I didn’t really feel connected to any of the characters. However I understand the deeper meaning with his mum and the monitor lizards bit is quite funny and extremely original . 7/10

Clodagh
Sullivan Shadowers

This was by far my favourite Carnegie shortlisted book ( though I still have 'Birdie' left). It had a unique plot and it seemed fresh. The other books seemed a little bland and just already done but this. This was perfect. It was a little weird but I don't think it took away from the plot at all. I also love the inclusion of characters with disabilities or that are neuro divergent that felt natural. All the characters were real and relatable. Some people didn't like the fact that our main character had France on his knee but I disagree. I see it a bit also as symbolism that sometimes it feels like we are carrying a whole country in our lives. It was a short read but very insightful. I read in less than 2 hours. I can personally relate to the character. I also like how they handled being a bigger kid in school. I think it was actually the best potrail that I have seen in a couple of years. I genuinely have nothing bad to say about this book which is uncommon. So fat it is my favourite read of 2026. It also shows accurately how bullying looks in real life. The realisation that it doesn't matter as much as we think and that we aren't actually as bad as we think is a great message. The showing that we can still get justice but not become tyrants was also a lot better compared to most children's books ( e.g the series of unfortunate events). Strongly recommend. Love Miel in this book.

Aniela
Sullivan Shadowers

In my opinion, the Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a good read, even though it is geared towards a younger audience. I feel it portrays the struggles of the main character really well. For example, using a black dog as a barrier to his mother is a great way to converse such an important topic towards younger children. As well as this, I thought the book was extremely funny, with lots of goofy pictures and interesting characters. The animals are also similar to what they are in real life, e.g. the pandas are very chill. Overall I would recommend to many children above the age of 7.

Bowen
The Perse Carnegians

This book was not quite at my age but was still an enjoyable read. It had good humour and an interesting storyline, aswell as a few important lessons.

Jennifer
GreatB00ks

I found that Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody was a really great book for introducing younger readers to the concept of grief. I think that the ending was very mature in that although it was happy, it had a bittersweet feel to it, as it was implied that the Black Dog would return and swallow Zeke’s mum up again. It was a very cute book, and I think that the pictures helped to add to the story and help you to understand some of the harder concepts. All in all it handled some tough topics, like disability, death and poverty, but I think that even I understand these topics better for having read this book.

Iris
The Perse Carnegians

I loved this book!! it was funny, good characters and representation i loved how it wasn't just generic, perfect characters. I would recommend to anyone in search of a funny, great book for a short yet enjoyable read. PS france is amazing!

Innis
Knox Readers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is one of those books that feels funny and light on the surface, but underneath it’s full of heart, honesty, and real emotion — and that’s exactly why i loved it. The way the story uses animals to explore school life, friendship, and bullying makes everything feel both relatable and gently humorous, even when the topics get tough. i really appreciated how the book handles mental health, disability, and poverty with so much empathy; it never makes the characters feel small or pitied, just real and worth caring about. The friendships are warm and believable, the jokes land perfectly, and the moments of kindness hit even harder because you can see how much the characters need them. It’s a story that reminds you that everyone, even a “lizard nobody” ,deserves to be seen, understood, and treated with compassion, and that’s what makes it such a brilliant read. This is now one of my favourite books and i would definitely recommend this to someone.

Fatima
BAS Reading Champions

Lizard Nobody is a comical coming-of-age book set in the animal world. We follow Zeke as he navigates his problems: him mum's health, France and his growing enmity with Pelicanassus. I think that it was a fun, unique read and wound up nicely at the end. However, it's definitely more of a children's book and can be boring or immature for older readers. I liked the themes in the book and how Zeke consciously decided to be forgiving as it was inspiring and raw. I would give it 2.5 stars.

Emaan
Carnegie Shadow Judges MEAC

When reading the chronicles of a lizard nobody, I loved how everybody was an animal and the concept of the pelvans think they are above it all. The plot near chapters 29-32 were so interesting, with the massive pelican suit and the hall monitors being able to shoot lazers. Though it was a shock when I found out that zekes mum had passed out while he was at school. Over all I loved this book so much, so interesting, I would definitely recommend!

Ellie
Balla Bookworms

The chronicles of a lizard nobody is a very entertaining book following the life of a kid names seek with his friends Daniel, Alicia and this hawk called Miel. I like how the book also shows the relatable side of school while also going in a more cartoony path and all in all the book is very entertaining to read

Yannick
The SBSJs

I liked the book from the start because it was funny and interesting straight away.It had a lot of humour and the illustrations made it even better.I really loved the end ,and the book was chaotic and easy to stay interested in.

Priyanila
The Wells Readers

It is pretty rare to find a book that is completely chaotic but also feels like a warm hug, but Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody manages to do both. On the surface, it’s a story about monitor lizards navigating the everyday drama of school, which sounds totally bizarre. But once you get into it, you realize Patrick Ness has written something really sweet. The main characters, Zeke and Daniel, are just trying to fly under the radar. When they get made Hall Monitors, it turns their lives upside down, forcing them into all sorts of weird situations with a cast of animal classmates. What makes the book so lovely to read is that it doesn’t treat school problems like a massive, terrifying ordeal, nor does it preach at you. Instead, it uses humor to gently take the sting out of things like bullying and trying to fit in. It reminds you that everyone—even the people who seem scary or mean—is usually just dealing with their own strange stuff. The illustrations by Tim Miller are amazing, too. They have this gentle, sketchy charm that brings the characters to life and makes the whole book feel really comforting to flip through. If you need a break from heavy reading and just want something that will make you smile and feel a bit better about the world, this is a brilliant one to pick up.5 stars

Jasmin
SCD Pageturners

This book is very heartfelt/soulful, funny and good to read overall. It makes me think about most of the themes in the book such as sadness, bullying, friendship which adds to the greatness of this book. I love this book and would recommend to others

Aaryan
Wetherby Prep Book Club

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody (Gosh, what a long title!) was a very good read. It was so funny. I loved how it explored traits of different species of animals and yet, that each animal had individuality. I flew through it, because it was such a simple read. The climax was so unexpected! I hadn’t thought it would be so…captivating. Anyways, I would recommend it to young people, maybe those interested in animals, because it is simple to understand and it features lots of animals. Overall, a unique and amusing story for all ages. Totally worth reading.

Kayla
SCD Pageturners

The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody was a very entertaining read but can be a bit confusing at times, I'm not sure who the author was aiming the book at. It seemed too young for me at times but then also I think it was examining some complex ideas.

Emily
The Wondrous Book & Biscuit Club

Nafisah
The SBSJs

Seren
The SBSJs

This book was the most humorous I have ever read. I hope the author can make more of these books.

Saeed
SHLA Carnegies Shadowing Group

I found 'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' rather boring and I wasn't able to zone into the book. The storyline was very basic: getting bullied, friendship, etc etc France was extremely unnecessary and was a weird touch to include. The fact how the pelican's mum was a super villain was predictable, basic and didn't have anything unique to it. I understand this was primarily targeted to a younger reader but it just didn't catch my interest in the slightest Wasn't exactly fond of this book and wouldn't read again.

Sophia
KES Readers

A hilarious new school comedy. I like it! 5/5 stars

Scarlet F.
Lionheart2026

This book was a very unusual book. In places it was a bit confusing for example the magic pouches I felt was a bit random. I also believe that the battle took up to much of the book and came to early. But overall it wasn't a bad book as it is difficult to write one with such high levels of fantasy.

Jeevan
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

This is a highly immersive and fun book- great for young kids! The humour is a bit silly- albeit you can't help but chuckle.

Aleeha Niaz
Winchmore School Carnegie Group 2025/26

The book 'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' was both enjoyable and puzzling. The plot mainly focuses on the main character, Zeke, standing up to a bully, which is an important and relatable theme for many students. However, the story also includes unusual and bizarre events, such as Pelicarnassus the pelican holding a grudge and becoming a supervillain who tries to destroy the school. Even though some parts were strange, I found them funny and entertaining, especially the random humour throughout the book.The story was amusing and easy to follow, and the characters were memorable in their own unique ways. I also liked the strong friendships between Zeke, Daniel, Alicia, and Miel. They support each other throughout the story and work together when facing challenges, which shows the importance of loyalty and teamwork. I think the book is aimed more at younger readers because of its simple writing style and silly humour, but the message about overcoming bullying can relate to people of all ages. Overall, I found the book fun, creative, and entertaining, although at times it felt a little too simple and unrealistic for older readers.

Lowri
St George’s Dragon Readers

I thought this was a brilliant book that I would have definitely enjoyed when I was younger . I think its extremely funny and has a brilliant plot.

Chloe
SDG Reads

I thought this book was pretty okay. It deals with some themes of racism and a little bit on depression. It was a fun book with a lot of random things going on however it is very definitely aimed towards a younger audience so I only enjoyed it to a certain extent.

Yusuf K
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

It is a good book with many twists and stayed on the storyline with new friends and many characters were introduced well, good book.

Joshua
Stratton shadowers

I think that my brothers would really enjoy this book. They would especially love the giant pelican robot suit! This book is about bullying and being a bit different to your friends and standing up for yourself. I loved that the book was about animals that could speak and I will definitely recommend this book to my brothers to read. It was an interesting book but it is not something I would usually read.

jess
Diary of a Wally Kid

Chronicles of a lizard nobody includes lots of funny moments, comedy and about bully pelicanarsus, after zeke's encounter with him as a hall monitor, could zeke possibly be the hero the school needs? I thought it was funny but maybe for younger years. I think they would enjoy it more.

Jessica
BFS Umbra

Really cute, helps children understand the complex issue of racisms and stereotypes.

Dora
Eltham Hill Y9 Book Club

It was a very interesting and funny book with on honest take on real world problems however I felt it was an unrealistic depiction of school in general.

Jenna
Eltham Hill Y9 Book Club

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a humorous animal fiction book written by Patrick Ness about a monitor lizard who goes to a school with other animals such as hawks, giraffes and pelicans. The combination of upbeat and silly undertones of the character dynamics and tackling of day to day social and emotional issues students face creates an optimistic and enjoyable experience for the reader. The main character Zeke alongside his fellow lizard friends Daniel and Alicia join a school and are assigned hall monitors by the principal, certainly not coincidentally because of their species name, and have to navigate past formidable teachers, avian bullies and breaktime. On his first day, Zeke crosses the main antagonist Pelicarnassus, the son of a supervillain mother who invaded Canada just because she could, and a quarrel ensues leaving Zeke in unwanted hot water. The book goes over Zeke and his friends biodiverse multispecies interactions and details how they approach, deal with and face Pelicarnassus. Overall, the book is fun, nicely paced and has great characters and illustrations.

Zoey
The Lotus Readers

Hazel
Atlantic Awesome Readers

This book was one that I enjoyed. It follows the story of Zeke, a monitor lizard, who had been assigned to be a hall monitor, but when he reports Pelicarnassus, he becomes a target of his bullying. I think despite being directed towards younger audiences, this book was still really good at covering some difficult topics and also the pacing was really good and it was funny. Overall I really liked it.

Lyra
Vista Academy Littleport

“Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody” was a very funny and entertaining read, i finished it after only a couple days because I couldn’t put it down, whether it was in between lessons or during Lunch, the book had a sense of comedy and wholesome charm to it that was incredibly endearing to me. The plot didn’t drag on too long but it didn’t feel too quick either, a very fun read that I would love to see win the Carnegie’s award!

Hashim
SMMA BOOKWORMS

A Lizard Nobody is a really fun and emotional book about trying to fit in and be accepted. The main character is a lizard who feels different from everyone else, which makes him easy to relate to. I liked how the story mixed funny moments with serious feelings about friendship and confidence. The writing was simple to understand but still interesting the whole way through. Some parts were a little slow, but the story stayed meaningful and enjoyable. The characters were interesting and made the story more enjoyable to read. Overall, it is a creative and heartwarming book that teaches important lessons without feeling boring or too serious for younger readers.

Bertie
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

WORST BOOK OF ALL TIME in my opinion . I hated it so much. Why is there France on a knee? 0/10 from me!

Ezra
ShadowBookers

Laugh out loud book, reminded me of the golden age, back in my day we wouldn't laugh half as hard at any book compared to something as guffawlarious as this here parchment.

Jean-Francois
ShadowBookers

I found this book to be an extremely fun and very adventurous read, and the wording exaggerated the author's creativity. This book really encourages the fun life of kids within school and their creative prowess.

Goddy
ShadowBookers

Zeke and his friends get into trouble with Pelicanarsus, the school bully. Can Zeke save the day? I enjoyed this book because it really shows a bizarre and funny representation of how discrimination can affect someone, and how we can deal with this if we feel like we are being bullied.

Olivia
Montsaye Shadow Readers

I liked how it creates tension that the monitor lizards (which were made hall monitors by Principle Wombat) had to monitor different animals with different personalities for example the pandas are kind and the lions being arrogant. I found it really entertaining and there was so much going on that it made me keep reading through the book. I found it pretty funny as well. My personal rating: 8/10

Kamran
Booky Wookies

Olivia
Montsaye Shadow Readers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is a really fun read with a lot of comedy entwined skillfully with insightful comments on mental health, disguised under the imagery of the black dog. My favourite character Miel the Hawk was an absolutely hilarious addition to the story, in the way he painfully pointed out obvious observations in his loud screech. I especially loved the way that his mannerisms were part of him as a species, and as an individual. This was a great way of learning about animals while reading the story. Although some parts of the story became a little hard to follow (the initial invasion of France followed by the robot pelican got a bit much for me), I found Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody was really enjoyable overall, and dealt with some tricky topics with sensitivity and compassion. I would absolutely recommend this to others (including those outside of the age range!)

Mrs Sirrelle
BFS Umbra

This was a very intriguing book that was simultaneously very immature and very deep. I liked using the Black Dog as a metaphor for Zeke's Mum's depression, but I feel that it could have gone deeper into that slightly sadder part. I thought the ending with the robot and the magic sashes cheapened it a bit, but I understand that it is a book aimed at 6-10 year olds.

Kit
Booky Wookies

very good a wild change in direction for Patrick ness overall a nice childish funny book that can can find the inner sillyness in anyone

harvey
Booky Wookies

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a book that looks like it would be for kids but contains older themes such as depression

Theo B
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Florence
Sandroyd Bookivores

Lizard Nobody is a great book. Patrick Ness does a great job at showing each characters personality and feelings throughout the book. I like how in the book each character personality depends on the type of animal, for instance the pandas are kind and the birds are a bit mean . The book also shows how everyone is loved and special even if you are blind for instance . The book also shows awareness of bullying and that it doesn’t always matter what bullies think . The book is fun to read and the plot with the giant pelican at then end is great. The book deserves its place as a Carnegie shortlisted book . The book shows how a young lizard gets bullied and overcomes it while having a whole county on his knee.

Oliver
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

Diary of a lizard nobody is nothing if not a confusing book. So a lizard who lives in an animal world has a country of humans on his knee? Although, I do enjoy how Ness manages do disguises themes of discrimination and racism in a kids book. Overall an interesting book, to say the least.

Artie
The Leopards, Skinners’

This book was a really entertaining, funny and enjoyable book! I really liked this book because so many things happened in it making me want to read more. I recommend this book to people who like adventure books. Rating out of five: 4/5

Morgan
St Cath’s Shadowing

The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody was a very entertaining book that, although funny on the outside, contains very deep messages about depression and how to overcome it. Many children would find this book funny, while also possibly understanding deep morals about anti-bullying. The storyline involves the main character, a monitor lizard called Zeke, and his two best friends who are assigned the role of hall monitor. His nemesis? A vain pelican (also the school bully) who plots to rule the entire world and attack France which is on Zeke's knee. However, the ending of this book was kind of written before the middle, and was therefore very predictable- you can almost guess the ending just from this basic information. However, I will refrain from any spoilers for now. Putting this aside, if you are looking for a funny book that will entertain you, I would recommend reading this for its humorous and laugh-out-loud nature and anyone else who is looking for an 'easy read'. I am sure many young children would love to read this book.

Jay
The Leopards, Skinners’

This book was quite fun to read through because of the interesting features like having France on your knee. I thought it wasn't explained thoroughly enough though as I still don't know how it passes on and what it does. The book was more suitable for a younger audience because of it being about animals.

Muyang
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Great book that, though meant for younger readers, has underlying themes of discrimination, grief and racism quite easily spotted to an older reader's eye. Despite the younger target demographic, you can see Patrick Ness' experience writing for older readers shining through, not to say that writing books for younger readers is bad. It is slightly bizarre but it is easily read and enjoyed if you (willingly) suspend your disbelief. The lasers at the end felt unnecessary but other than that I loved it!

Newton
The Leopards, Skinners’

I really liked the Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody because it was such a good storyline even though it was quite a mad idea. However I think Ness did a really good job of making something quite wacky really believable. There were some plot twists but once again Ness managed to make them make sense which any other author would have found extremely difficult.

Charlotte
Skipton Shadows

Boring book with a severe lack of interesting content. I would say this book has to be for around a 7 year old as the few deep plot twist aren't really covered on and instead just ignored. The biggest "Plot Twist" that was ignored was the black dog storyline as it was touched on but a severe lack of context, this left me guessing which in my opinion is not good for a book. I would rate this a 4/10 and only for the Pelicarnassus storyline which was somewhat interesting as it was like he had to "live up" to his mother.

Joseph c
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Absolutely bonkers! I love the creativity and imagination of this book, in the way that it portrayed the animals, but I found that some parts of it were a little bit hard to imagine. Another I thing that I liked was the fact that the style is different to the books I normally read, and it allows a change in genre, and for your imagination to run wild!

Mia
Skipton Shadows

I think that lizard nobody is one of the best books I have read so far . This book is a reminder for me that when times are low you don't give up . This book is about a character who was with his friends and they decided to become hall monitors but one person who was kind of a bully kept picking on him and eventually got into some pretty big arguments but if want to find out what happened then I suggest that you should take a look and read more of the lizard nobody.

Nafisah
The SBSJs

I did enjoy this book as it had very important underlying themes. However, I found it a little chaotic and hard to follow as a storyline because of the absurdity. Overall, I did enjoy it but I would have liked a more serious storyline.

Immy
Skipton Shadows

Towards the start of the book, I wasn’t really a big fan but as I continued ready through, it did get better. I liked the themes shown in the book (friendships and bullying) and even though the book wasn’t my personal favourite, I can see why others might vote for it. Funny and engaging, I think this book is a bit odd, but that’s what gives it its character. I definitely saw a different side towards the story when we got to the bits with Zeke’s mother, and maybe that was what made me enjoy the book a little bit more because it felt a little bit more human and less like a silly comic. Good Luck Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody, I think you have a good chance of winning.

Sofia
BFS Umbra

This book was inspiring, funny and a great way to teach younger children good morals. Throughout this book you follow the heroic story of four close friends as they as they show support, love and loyalty for each other. Although the plot was difficult to follow at times i definitely think younger children will love it.

Rebecca
Spinechillers

You can tell this book means the world to him, because it truly transports you into one. Out of all Carnegie books I've read, I do feel this is one of the best... The worldbuilding and characterisation is actually phenomenal: something I, as a writer, am very very inspired by! Although the book may seem whimsical at first, this whole world is wonderfully thought-provoking, and prompts you of the endless forms art and stories can take. (Actually, this book reminds me of concept albums - - music with loose storylines.) I understand how a human nobody may dislike this story for its unrealistic plotline or reflective writing style, but it wasn't written to cuddle you -- this was made for breaking boundaries and allowing the author to explore an adorable world with representational characters. There's also a sidekick with ADHD and a blind mentor, adding to the novel's grounded and wholesome nature... extra points there! To conclude, this planet has snuck into my 'AWESOME BOOKS (I swear)' shelf, and, one of these days, I swear I will buy a copy to keep it there. Thanks for reading.

Luka
CRGS Book Club

Diary of a lizard nobody is a crazy, heartwarming and funny book that dives deep into friendships, bullying and stereotypes, adding a laugh along the way. My favourite character was Principal Wombat, as she was a slightly flustered and stereotypical, but she tried not to be, which ended up as a comical and likeable character. However, I feel that although the story was highly creative, it was unbelievable and that lost it a lot of credibility. All in all, I believe that the Diary of a Lizard nobody is like popcorn, as it is a book that is mainly for a younger audience. I would not recommend this book to anybody over the age of 10.

Benjamin
The Perse Carnegians

this book was awesome it was filled to the brim with adventure and fun I recommend

Maliha
BAS Reading Champions

I found the book exciting and funny, with my favourite character being Zeke. However, I found it quite hard to understand the characters.

Daisy
Redhill Reviewers

the book was quite entertaining as well as engaging so I would recommend this to anyone who likes comic style books.

Nsimba
The Wells Readers

I found this book very intriguing as it has a way of giving messages to people that are being bullied or had been bullied.

Cheryl
The Wells Readers

At first, I didn't think I'd like it as it looked really childish however it shocked me a lot. There were prominent themes of friendship and battling through hardship, which really inspired me, My favourite character was probably Zeke, which is rare as normally main characters aren't my favourite characters. But he was written with such a good complexity and was able to do what was right by saving his school. He also showed his heroism by saving the villain Pelicanassus. Finally, I also loved his argument with that female horse and the whole book was really funny. I'd definitely recommend for people to read it!

Julia
Redhill Reviewers

Eyad
North Manchester Novel Navigators

Lizard Nobody, has opened up many doors for me. This book is full of funny jokes, has a massive plot that changed the character's whole confidence by surrounding himself with FRIENDS. One door that has opened for me is I've thought about writing. I think I should try writing something similar to this book that has a big funny plot. It has had a positive input on me so why not give it a try!

Eyad
North Manchester Novel Navigators

I really like the book Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody because I like how it explained how to sometimes deal with bullying and that instead of using people to explain Zeke´s life, Patrick Ness uses animals to make it funny. I also like his drawings in the book though, I would recommend it to anyone depending on what they like to read.

Katrine
The BSGC Carnegie Collective

This book was rather enjoyable, juggling humour while making a realistic environment, managing to be funny AND about animals! The main characters were very well written, being bullied for who they are and what they look like. The main villain was creatively written, and the was the author made him able to get away with what he does was quite smart.

Hafiz
MTS Northwood

I liked this book because it was very odd. I thought the part with Zeke's Mum was odd in a good way because it was deep and made you think. The characters being animals makes it a good read for 7-10 year olds. I like that it represents different backgrounds- Miel is blind, Zeke is poor and has an ill parent and Pelicarnassus is rich. This is a good way to give different ideas of the characters to help younger readers learn about different cultures and upbringings. 4/5 I would recommend this to children aged 7+ years. I would read the sequel.

Charlotte
The Carnegie Coast Readers

This book is my favorite from all the available for its imaginative and unique way of portraying animals. The style is different to the books I commonly read and allows a change in genre. The chronicles of a lizard nobody was a complete book full of laughs and brain-twisting plots. I look forward to the next year coming in hope that the new sequel, The Hat of Great Importance, will appear on the short list. I want nothing more than for this novel to win.

Elijah
The SBSJs

Vikrant
Montsaye Shadow Readers

The chronicles of a lizard nobody is a adventure style story following the main character Zeke and his life of being bullied . In this book Zeke and his two friends Daniel and Miel fight back against the wannabe super villain Pelicarnassus. This book has a common theme of friendship and overcoming problems. I would rate this book 7/10 for its smooth easy to read energy and incredible illustrations .

Seb
Bookwizards

'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' is a funny and slightly chaotic middle-grade story about a lizard who feels completely invisible in his everyday life - hence being a 'nobody'. When reading the book, I liked how it was genuinely funny, with weird and creative jokes - like the idea of France being on someone's knee. Although the plot can feel quite predictable, following a familiar 'underdog' proving themselves type of structure, I still found the book to be very funny - even if the pacing seemed a little uneven, with some slower narrative sections. Overall, I would recommend this very funny book - 4 stars out of 5 ( **** ).

Saim
Rockwood Reads

I personally don't like it because it's not really my genre of book to read and I thought it was really silly for my type of genre that I read.

Islah
Lostock High Readers

Ingrid
The BSGC Carnegie Collective

In Chronicles of a Lizard nobody, Zeke and his two friends - Daniel and Alicia - were made hall monitors by Principal Wombat. Everything is fine until a school bully, Pelicarnassus, gets Zeke into trouble and he is no longer a Hall Monitor. Pelicarnassus is the son of a super villain and he tries to invade France, which happens to be on Zeke’s knee. However, he’s unsuccessful as French planes stop him. After a few days, Pelicarnassus tries to destroy the school by wearing a giant mech-robot costume thing, but Zeke and his friends manage to stop him. Even though this book was quite funny, I didn’t really like it because of the very predictable ending and its childishness. Also, I know that the story about Zeke’s knee is kept until a later chapter to make me keep reading, but I think introducing it a little earlier might have given things a bit of context. Without knowing about the backstory, I kept re-reading the section to check if I was reading it wrong! Due to the silliness of the book, I feel it was aimed at a younger audience. Nevertheless, it was still good, because there was always action or something happening. This book was very funny and I would definitely recommend it to people a bit younger than me.

Siddharthan
The Perse Carnegians

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody features a big lizard named Zeke and his friends Daniel and Alicia. They are made hall monitors of their high school. Until the high school bully and son of a supervillain Pelicanarrsus picks on Zeke. Zeke then hits back and pelicinarsuss tries to overthrow the entire school. The theme is that a person that is being picked on overpowers a bully. The story is coming from a perspective of a viewer of Zeke’s life. The style of writing is short, snappy and adds a quick pace to the book. There are also illustrations featuring the important parts of the story.

Hugo
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

I thought this was a very funny and light-hearted book which I quite enjoyed. I thought Zeke was a likeable character and I really liked Daniel and Alicia as well. Overall, I didn't really feel that there was much of a story, however I still quite liked it due to how fun it was to read.

Tim
St George’s Dragon Readers

It was a good, funny book. I liked the format – the font and size of the font were good choices. I liked how the book was so out there, none of the things would happen in real life and so it was fun to go into the world of the book. It wasn’t my favourite book from this year, but would be around the middle. I’d preferred it to be a bit longer and have more of a plot. I’d recommend this more for younger readers, perhaps primary school. Overall I’d give a 7 out of 10.

Edmund
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

A captivating story that begins in the setting of an anthropomorphic animal school where a hall monitor lizard confronts an supervillain pelican. They soon become arch-enemies, and the Hall Monitor Lizard, Zeke, with the help of his friends, takes him down and thwarts the supervillain’s plan to destroy the school. Exploring themes such as bullying—often disguised in many forms—and the importance of standing up to others, this book cleverly combines meaningful ideas within an engaging narrative. Ness presents these themes in a way that is both humorous and thought-provoking, making the story accessible yet impactful. It made me reflect on how bullying can appear in different ways. I felt inspired by Zeke’s courage and determination, as it shows that even someone who may seem ordinary can make a powerful difference. Overall, the book left me feeling motivated.

Fareed
The SGS Book Bandits

Lizard Nobody is an incredible book - my favourite one of the Carnegie books. I liked how they waited towards the end to when they explained the story of France to try and drag the reader in to it. When the Pelicans robot attacked Zecho I fought all hope was lost. Until the monitor lizard's bands gave them special powers which allowed them to beat Pelicans. I like how there is a wide variety of characters like the bird who shouts a lot but is nice. Then there is Zecho who learns that he is being bullied because he is bigger than Pelicans. He realises Pelicans fear him not the other way round and learns to stand up for him self. Then I liked the ending where his mum is immensely proud of him. I think that only could be better if this book was a bit longer like another a hundred pages to make it better and more exciting.

Esah
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is a funny, heartwarming animal adventure for readers aged 9 to 12 about a quiet monitor lizard named Zeke who is forced to become a school hall monitor and protect his classmates from a giant, bullying pelican. As the crazy plot unfolds, Zeke also deals with real-life family hardships, like coping with his mother's heavy depression—personified as a literal black dog—and managing school stress. Supported by Tim Miller's zany ink illustrations, this short, fast-paced novel brilliantly layers surreal humour over a touching, five-star message about the power of true friendship. Reading it makes us feel instantly comforted and validated because it reminds us that it is completely okay to feel small, ordinary, and overwhelmed by life's unexpected pressures. It leaves us laughing out loud at the sheer absurdity of the schoolyard drama while simultaneously tugging at our heartstrings, leaving a lingering feeling of deep empathy and warmth.

Angel
St Angela’s Reading Angels

This book was very childish and I don't think it should be in the Carnegies at all. The story was very boring and had a terrible journey, from some animals becoming hall monitors to fighting some random robot pelican. Probably the worst book yet. :(

Joshua R
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

To start where the book starts “ I’m making you both Hall Monitors,” maybe not the most gripping first line but of course evidence to why this book was chosen to feature around a Lizard, (Monitor Lizards). Though an interesting read, The Chronicles of Lizard Nobody started off slowly not, in my belief, bringing in many readers mainly justifying this books usage of Lizards and the sitting of France upon the main characters knee. A plot point which kept me curious for a large majority of the book and really wasn’t all together solved. Though an enjoyable read, this is main problem with the book, it seems the author (Patrick Ness) had so much in his mind he didn’t seem to be able to tie it together in the way I would have liked. Introducing, so many plotlines that seemed like circles dragging you round but never quite ending. Though this is a minor query in the grand scheme of this book, after the plot is established at the start the book moves very quickly maybe even a little too fast, giving us a tour of our Lead Lizard (Zeke’s) life and the sad death of his father which lead to an emotional sealing up of his mother, convey very sweet but sadly by the authors introduction of the black dog. Though the “Main Plot” follows a familiar ‘We can be Heroes’ plotline in an epic fight against a supervillain, where the book really shines is in the background. From the Panda’s chill dudes sitting and talking about heavy metal, to the birds believing they are above all else just because they can fly. This is where the book is truly superb outlining real world stereotypes, in the animal kingdom. Then, of course Miel, who’s introduction brightens the book exploring how the disabled born into an ‘Upper Class’ can shine in unexpected ways for all. In the end this book is brilliantly written, with a plot that feels clunky yet a world that feels like an escape. A good book to say the least, written in the charming style that Patrick Ness has perfected. Good book, enjoyed but in the end would only recommended, in certain circumstances.

Joshua
MTS Northwood

The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is an interesting book exploring serious adult topics of anxiety and bullying, simplified into a fun, enjoyable for all book. I really enjoyed this book, especially the silly moments, ideas and the random twist and turn of events! I give this book an 8/10.

Estlin K
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Lizard Nobody is a book about a lizard called Zeke who goes to a school with animals. I wasn't really expecting to like this book because it is aimed at younger children but I actually liked it. The book had lots of different themes and was very funny while also focusing on bigger themes and explaining them in child friendly words. I liked the illustrations because they were funny. I also liked Meil. The only thing I didn't like was that the ending felt rushed and weird. Overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it younger children or people who want a funny story.

Sophie
The Fitzharrys Shadows

The book is really good at making you think - and see society from a fresh perspective. It's fun and simple. Probably for younger readers who want to explore deeper themes in a light-hearted way.

Michaela
The Book Voya’s

really good book love it defo my vote

oscar
Rad readers

I'm not a big fan of this book, it seems too silly.

Joe
Rad readers

‘The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody’ is a silly and humorous yet interesting book about a monitor Lizard (Zeke) and his friends. It is full of silly nonsense that is very entertaining, like having France on your knee or fighting a mean pelican bully. However, this book is an amazing example of hidden meanings because despite its childish appearance, if you look deeper into the book's meaning, there are more fragile subjects mentioned such as deppression. This is why I find Lizard Nobody an interesting and slightly confusing book. On first glance it seems very clearly aimed at younger children but if you fully understand it, you will notice that there are some topics inside that only older readers would understand. Personally, I feel that the story is too silly for me and I would not usually pick it but I was surprised to find it was also enjoyable - which I didn't expect. I would recommend it to 10+ readers who like funny and creative books filled with jokes!

Anthea
Larkmead

I quite enjoyed this book for its use of animals to represent certain themes throughout the book . I believe this book is perfect for 8-12 year olds as it has a very "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" style but from the third person . I would definitely recommend this book to any primary school child and maybe some Y7's for its humorous story .

Layla
The Tiffin Girls’ Shadows

The Chronicles Of A Lizard Nobody was an inspiring book to read and contained many life lessons and morals concerning children all around the world .The heart warming yet totally bonkers storyline would put a smile on your face which made it so enjoyable to read. Would definitely rate this an 8.5 out of 10 !!! :)

Oscar
Court Fields Bookworms

This was a very interesting look into deep themes such as grief. It looked at these with a lightness that younger readers could understand while also being sensitive to audiences who have experienced these sort of experiences or who are currently living through them. I enjoyed this as a read and the plot was entertaining. The blurb did not give away any hints of what to come which made the read more exciting.

Levi
Waddesdon Shadowers 26

it was an amazing book... however I found it really difficult to follow along with the actual plot.

Faith
Waddesdon Shadowers 26

I love this book, because at first glance it looks like a not very serious book for younger children, but once you read on, you see that it’s so much deeper. I thought the France knee curse was really creative and funny, and I loved it when Zeke stood up to Miss Pfister. 10/10!

Freya
Sullivan Shadowers

I really liked this book and i loved how random this book could get at times and it was so funny because of the sashes and i loved this whole book in general and is such a fun thing to discuss

Henry
SCD Pageturners

I thought this book was quite interesting in many ways. First of all, I loved the comedy and the illustration in the book. One thing I didn't quite like about the book is that it didn't quite make sense and the story was very confusing. I liked the concept of it and the idea of it but this book just wasn't for me.

Taylor
Bramcote College Library

I didn't think of 'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' a particular standout, but its comical surprises made me laugh from time to time. I didn't find it very original or engaging, but I understand 'supervillain pelicans building giant robots' is not quite directed at me. The language or plot didn't hugely interest me, and I found it rather dull at times. Maybe I would have liked it more 6 or 7 years ago.

Barney
KES Readers

Milo T
Larkmead

I found this book very unique, and a little bit strange at some parts. However, for the age group it is aimed at, I thought that it was really good, with a level of humour, despite being confusing at times.

Maya
St Kaths

This book feels very whimsical, but, reading between the lines, presents some very real issues including struggling family relationships and bullying. It is very heart-warming to hear Zeke’s journey through school life, both the good and the bad, and the final realisation almost made me cry. Overall a very good book and a nice change of pace for an author who normally writes these sort of books in a very heavy way. I would give it an overall 8.6/10 and recommend it to a slightly younger audience (7-12).

Eashar
MTS Northwood

I found the book chronicles of a lizard of nobody a really fun book because it started off by showing the characters but also showing diversity because Zeke thinks that only monitor lizards are being selected for hall monitors because they have the word monitor in there name. After a while, Pelicanarsus, a pelican is introduced as the villain and sets himself out to destroy Zeke. When the new animal, Miel arrives. People find out he is blind but he has his other senses as sharp as no one has ever seen before. Zeke also has a country on is knee called France and in the middle of the night Pelicanarsus tries to invade. He was not successful but later in class, the French start bombing the other students. It turns out it is Pelicanarsus and he had hijacked the planes and while nobody was looking, Pelicanarsus summoned a massive pelican robot and started destroying the school. The three hall monitors Zeke, Daniel and Alicia try to stop him with there lasers buut they were saved my Miel who stopped Pelicanarsus from bombing them and gave the others time to defeat him.

Rowan
KAEP Lions

The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a wonderful book with animals as protagonists and antagonists. This book tells us the story of a lizard who gets to be the hall monitor and give his bullies detention! But he decides to lie and gets himself trapped in the web of his lies. The story tells us about not lying even if you have high status.

Ishaan
STAC

I feel like 'Chronicles of a lizard nobody' on the surface is maybe designed for a younger audience however (like all Patrick Ness's books) when you dive deep into the story you will find that this book is as good as every other book in the Carnegie awards. Zeke's life at home is torn apart due to his fathers death and mothers depression. Symbolising this: a black dog that follows her around, in his words, stops her from doing 'normal mum stuff. Supporting him throughout his whole journey are Daniel and Alicia- two fellow monitor lizards who also were his best friends. On the way he meets Miel a blind bird who has a loud voice. The villain of this book: Pelicarnassus is an egotistical bird who has an evil mother and two sidekicks (both called Norman). I Completely recommend this book. Do not be fooled by its comic like appearance because it is truly a deep and meaningful book - you just have to dig a little deeper to find it! 8/10

Philippa
The Shady Bookhounds

I thought this book was a bit young compared to some of the others and also a bit random ,like when he has France on his knee??? 1.5/5 as i didn't really like it.

Elodie
County Shadows

I didn't like it, I think it is terrible. I did not understand what was going on and I didn't think it was funny whatsoever. It was also extremely random, why is France on his knee?!?!

Jess
County Shadows

This book was very amusing but I found it a bit weird in places. I think, however, that it would be very good for anyone who finds reading for pleasure a bit of a challenge and wants something easy and a bit quirky to read.

Olivia
Epsomians

Charlie
Atlantic Awesome Readers

Sonny
Atlantic Awesome Readers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a funny, short book about Zeke, a lizard. In school, an evil pelican called Pelicarnassus tries to take over the school and invade France, which for some reason is on Zeke’s knee. All this is mostly because Zeke punched Pelicarnassus when he was calling him fat, and also because he feels insecure now that Zeke is getting taller than him. The plot was basically just that, but the book went quite a lot into background information, which included the whole France thing, which was something to do with Zeke’s great-great-great-grandfather getting cursed by the French. As well as the nonsensical stuff, the book also featured some real elements of the world portrayed in interesting ways. For example, Zeke’s mum is said to have been accompanied by a big black dog ever since Zeke’s dad died, and that it makes her stay in her room and is always near her, growling. I think it is supposed to be a depiction of mental health issues such as depression. This book was well-written and very suitable for its targeted audience. Personally, it was not mature enough for my own taste and although it was funny at times I would not have chosen to read it for my own enjoyment.

yuding
The Perse Carnegians

The book Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a strange but funny book, but it also has a good meaning to it. The story follows a lizard named Zeke who becomes the hall monitor at school but then finds he is being bullied by Pelicarnassus a student at his school who wants to rule the world while Zeke has struggles at home with his mum. Even though it is full of ridiculous moments and talking animals it also explores grief, loneliness, friendship and prejudice in a meaningful way. One of the best parts of this book is its humour. Patrick Ness creates a bizarre animal world that keeps this story entertaining and unpredictable at the same time the characters feel realistic, especially Zeke, who struggles with feeling invisible and different from everyone else. This make the story more relatable for younger readers that are starting to understand how life works. The fact that Patrick added the fact that Zekes mother was a little bit depressed made the story more real too! I would give this book a 7 out of 10 because in my opinion it was a little bit childish but I love that it had a true meaning to it.

scarlet
Larkmead

Interesting story about animals! This is more aimed towards young children, so this did seem a little silly to read sometimes with the language. However, overall, the book was easy to read and the pictures were a great touch to the events of the story. The illustrations are really nice in my opinion, and really helped develop the plot. The plot is like the "Hero VS Villain" storyline, but the humour and friendship along the way made me look past that. I really love the relationships in the book! Zeke and his personality was also something I enjoyed reading throughout the book. Great read, but just isn't really for me! I'd give it a 7/10, and would totally recommend this to a younger audience.

Melisa
The SBSJs

I felt this book was aimed at younger ages. However, the storyline line was quite good ,and a similar book without the fantasy could have been made for an older age group. If I had been younger, maybe I would have enjoyed it more. The concepts in the book were realistic even if the way they were presented unrealistic. I didn't enjoy this book so much, but perhaps it would be better aimed at different age groups without the bits that were impossible and unrealistic.

Hannah
Esher High

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a fast-paced, action-packed "pocket rocket" of a book! One of the best things about following the Carnegies is discovering hidden gems I’d normally overlook. This story is packed with symbolic meaning and layered morals, though sometimes this made the story a lttle confusing. For instance, the subplot involving France on Zek's knee left me a little lost—I’m not sure if I missed a detail or if it was just a quirk of the writing. Overall, it’s a fantastic, fun read that I’d highly recommend for 8-to-10-year-olds!

Agnes
Lit Legends of Swavesey

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is a funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly emotional novel that explores friendship, identity, and what it means to belong. One of the strongest aspects of the novel is Ness’s humour. The dialogue is witty and entertaining, making the story engaging for younger readers while still offering clever moments that older audiences can appreciate. The characters are memorable and unique, especially Zeke, whose awkwardness and self-doubt make him relatable. His journey toward confidence and self-acceptance feels authentic and meaningful. The novel carries important messages about loneliness, bullying, and the fear of not fitting in. Ness balances these themes carefully, never making the story feel too heavy. Instead, he uses humour and adventure to create a narrative that is both fun and thoughtful.

Sandra
Reading Wizards

I really enjoyed this book because even though it was about lizards, it was true! My favourite character was Pelicarnassus because I like the villains. I am going to read the next book- The Hat of Great Importance- soon because I liked this book so much! The writing style was really fun and I loved the ending.

Elowen
Plumites

It is a good book set in Primary School where 3 friends called Zeke , Daniel and Alicia become hall monitors and their archnemesis Pelicarnassus builds a big robot suit of a pelican to try and counteract the strength of the hall monitors. I like it 9 out of 10

Charlie
Kingdown Wilts

This book is really fun and silly its about three boys who are hall moniters and they are lizards ,one of the three main characters stands up to the school bully and he gets the blame for it even though the bully gets away with it.one of the characters has france on his knee.

Faith
Reading Wizards

I enjoyed this book and I found it interesting. It was a bit of a quicker read. Despite it not being my normal genre of book, I liked it and it has inspired me to read more books of that type. I would recommend to somebody looking for a slightly easier read. 4 stars!

Eloise
Redhill Reviewers

At first it was confusing but as you read on it makes a lot more sense but it also focused on his mental health. It's honestly amazing. The plot is really intriguing.

Francesca
Redhill Reviewers

This was a great book for younger readers that is fun, but also talks about bullying and friendship.

Freya
Redhill Reviewers

A lovely way to depict the struggles of the younger years. Very metaphorical writing which can be a bit difficult to understand why it is depicted. Overall a good book that can help understand the pressures some younger children may feel with seemingly ordinary issues.

Emma
Townley Book Club

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is about Zeke, a lizard who feels like an outsider at school and at home, but through friendship, courage, and resilience learns to stand up to bullies and cope with his mother’s struggles with depression. This book is a fast- moving story but contains enough information that lingers in your mind once you place the book down. Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody blends humour with serious themes. The comic moments, like Miel’s exaggerated speech and Zeke’s awkwardness, made me laugh, but they also helped me understand heavy issues in the real life world such as bullying and depression. The humour softened the serious parts, making them easier to understand and more powerful. I took away the message that even outsiders can find courage and belonging, and that laughter can help us face difficult truths. I think the book was very successful in balancing comedy with seriousness.

Hillary
The Lotus Readers

I really enjoyed Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody because it was both funny and emotional at the same time. Zeke is a character many people can relate to since he feels different and struggles to fit in. The story has lots of humour, but it also shows important ideas about friendship, identity, and growing up. I liked how the characters felt realistic and how the book was easy to read without being boring. Overall, it’s a fun and meaningful book that I would recommend to younger teens.

Max
The Lotus Readers

Chronicles of A Lizard Nobody is a book for children over 7 years old written by Patrick Ness. It is about Zeke, a monitor lizard, who suddenly becomes a hall monitor with his friends Daniel and Alicia, and has a conflict with the school “bully” Pelicarnassus. The plot is very humorous, but it carries a serious message. Zeke has a hard time trying to solve the conflict between him and Pelicarnassus. During the conflict, he learns an important message about friendship. He realises how to accept others, even if they are very different, and how to become friends with them. He also learns responsibility as a hall monitor. People who are old will enjoy this fictional and humorous but serious book.

Dohyeong
The Lotus Readers

In Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody, the writer presents Zeke as a relatable and realistic character who changes throughout the story. At the beginning, he is an ordinary lizard student who becomes a hall monitor after being chosen by Principal Wombat. Although he has some power at school, he is still just a normal kid trying to do the right thing. As the story continues, Zeke faces challenges and conflicts that make him question his actions and responsibilities. I liked how the author showed both Zeke’s strengths and weaknesses because it made him feel believable. One of the best parts of the book is the way friendship and teamwork are shown throughout the story. Overall, the book is exciting, enjoyable, and keeps readers interested.

RaeHyun
The Lotus Readers

It was a good story, and represented its theme well. However, it seemed aimed at a slightly younger audience, and certain aspects were at least in part, ridiculous, and the ending was far from satisfying, with the main villain being defeated almost instantly, with "magic", defeating some of the point of the rest of the book.

Ben
TBGS READERS

I think this book is brilliant. It takes real life issues that real children have like bullying, self confidence, and disability, and makes it something fun that a primary school student could understand. It’s comedic and childish, but overall carries an extremely important message: You are allowed to be yourself! The main protagonist Zeke is relatable and sharp, and is interesting enough that you want to understand him, and overall, despite being aimed at a younger audience, I think this book can be enjoyed by anybody, regardless of age. I would rate this an 8.5/10.

Jacob
Reading Wizards

I love this book because it is very deep and emotional. I also like it because it is humourous.

Mivaan
Wetherby Prep Book Club

The book The chronicles of lizard nobody is a funny and enjoyable read. I really enjoyed it as it was funny and the illustrations were really good. This book was good but I wouldn't recommend it to my friends as it was quite young. I would however advise it to a younger sibling or kid but not to my friend. I liked the fact how it is about a school experience that shows other peoples backgrounds and struggles. I quite like that there are super-villains and lasers like an action book. In conclusion I liked the book and would recommend this to younger kids who like funny, short books.

Erin
Redhill Readers

I enjoyed it, it was really funny. My favourite character was Miel but I liked the fact Zeke has France on his knee

Beatrice
Cottingham High School

This was a fabulous read. Although fictional and having some really funny, heroic scenes it also hit some sensitive issues. I thought this was done incredibly well and highlighted some quite common situations people go through. It has left me wanting more as I want to know how Zeke's Mum is and I want to know how Miel is getting on their new friendship group. I love the funny factors added in like the Miel only shouts and that Zeke has France living on his knee. It blends both fantastical story telling with hard hitting relational aspects. I would recommend this for 10-13 year olds. 4/5 stars.

Fiona
The Carnegie Coast Readers

I was not a fan of this book. I felt it lacked in maturity and for a 12 year old it wasn't the right book. My brother , a nine year old, would love it but not me. Although it does challenge ideas about non inclusivity which is a lovely message. Overall I recommend it for younger and less mature readers but not to secondary school students.

Blaise
Bookwizards

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody was a more wacky, childish story compared to the others. Pictures every 2-3 pages with easy vocab made it simple, and the plot was very cartoon-ish. It's not a story I'd read for the plot, but the jokes unironically made it the funniest book I'd read so far, so I enjoyed it.

Taha
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Chronicles Of A Lizard Nobody was an easy read because of its wackiness and easy to understand language 8/10

connor
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

it was very childish and nonsensical but I really enjoyed the plot of the story and how it is a really good guide to mental health for young readers.

Albert
Carnegivores

I really enjoyed reading this as it was very entertaining and exciting. However, some bits , like the bit about France being on his knee were a bit unusual and confusing at first. I also liked how it has hidden messages about social hierarchy and racism. I would definitely recommend this book to most people.

Alfie s
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Chronicles of a lizard nobody is about a monitor lizard named Zeke and his friends who go to a school full of other animals and in the school there is a problem with bullying. Mainly this book has a comedy feeling with many jokes and puns scattered throughout the book, however it can get more serious at certain parts. I think a good age rating would be 10+ because while the reading level is quite low and very easy and fast to read. Some things in the books for example the black dog may require a bit more maturity to fully understand the true meaning behind it as well as a few other things that happen in the story. Someone who would enjoy Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody might be someone who likes interestingly ridiculous books with unique concept ideas. Another type of person who might like Chronicles of a lizard nobody would be someone who prefers short reads rather than long ones as Chronicles of a lizard nobody can take very little time to read compared to other books of around the same number of pages due to how many illustrations it has considering this it might also be enjoyed by someone who usually picks up graphic novels but wants to try a novel.

lily
The Lotus Readers

Birdie is a book about a young girl who has a fascination with animals, particularly the horses that used to work in the mines near her new home in the 1950s and wants to help them. In my opinion the main themes of this book could be animals and their rights as well as racism and family. I think someone that would enjoy this book would be a person who likes animals and horses as that is the main focus of this book it might also be interesting to a person who is intrigued by mines and their history especially in the UK

lily
The Lotus Readers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a light hearted, entertaining book that follows Zeke the lizard and his friends as they overcome the daily challenges of life as outsiders, while also experiencing the joy of their growing friendships. I personally very much enjoyed this story, as upon first glance of the book, I wasn't sure if it was the sort of thing I would usually read and enjoy, but I was pleasantly surprised and really learnt the meaning of the phrase 'Don't judge a book by its cover' whilst reading this, as I very much liked the humour of the book. One technique that I thought was particularly notable was how Patrick Ness creates a contrast of humour and perhaps slightly more serious themes, as portrayed in the situation that Zeke has with his mother. I felt this was very important because, as the reader, it helped to keep me hooked onto the story. Overall, I would highly recommend this book, as I feel that the story was well written and suitable for a range of audiences.

Olivia
Skipton Shadows

I think this book would be better for younger audiences, but I think it would be hard to understand some things for a kid, such as France being on Zeke's knee. Even though Patrick explained how it got there in the first place, it would still be hard for some kids to understand how its supposed to be a burden. Other than that, the book is quite humorous and funny.

Miguel M.C
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

This book was enjoyable, funny but also handled serious topics in an understandable way from a child's perspective with family who were struggling with harsh emotions such as depression. The way the book was written made it intriguing and interesting to read as reading this book made us want to find out what happened next with this "supervillian" pelican. The metaphor of the black dog who followed Zekes mum around was a clever way for taking on the idea of depression and how it can effect the person dealing with it and the people around them. I would recommend this book to all ages as it is educating and enjoyable.

Jemima
Tractors

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is a book that I would read if I need something different as a break when reading a long novel. The bit about France is really innovative and the idea of it is quite outside-of-the-box. It has some hilarious parts in it. I would recommend this book to people who like animals and it is a classic hero-villain story.

Charlie
STAGS Shadowers

I think the chronicles of lizard nobody was a very unique book. I did enjoy it and liked how it depicted grief as a black dog. Another positive point is the length of the book I liked how short it was. I did think that it did need a sequel. But overall I enjoyed the randomness and writing style of the book. 8/10

William S
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is a weird and adventurous tale about Zeke, a young lizard who gets entangled in some weird adventures for a week during his time at school. In Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody, Zeke is assigned as a hall monitor, and he ends up finding himself in strange situations, such as meeting Pellicarnassus, a villainous pelican who is seeking revenge. Together with his other two bird friends nicknamed "norms," the pelican rules the school since his mother was an agent. I really like this book because of its unique and humorous personality and I would recommend this book to young readers who love a little bit of a laugh.

natalia
Vista Academy Littleport

Xavier
Central Teen Reading Group

The book is about three Lizards friends (Zeke, Daniel and Alicia) trying to stop an evil Pelican bully called Pelicarnassus from attacking France. France just happens to be on Zeke the Lizard's knee! It is very funny and has lots of amusing moments, but also we find out that one of the characters has lost a family member, which has had a huge impact on their whole life. I really liked the illustrations in the text as it helped me imagine the characters better. I really want to read more about the characters, so I was really happy to find out there are more books in the series.

Xavier
Central Teen Reading Group

This book is a very funny, passionate and creative story. Its filled with funny jokes and all kinds and types of animals with different characteristics. Its an amazing book and I think everyone should read it! Well done Patrick Ness and Tim Miller!

Carlo
Wetherby Prep Book Club

I thought that this book was very funny and I found it very interesting but it would not be a book I would read for my own enjoyment. I could see that it was set for younger children but I thought that the jokes and other funny bits were amusing. I think that the whole list of characters are made so they won't be believable characters because Daniel would not really act like that in real life. The plot was very believable, which made it a bit boring, but other than that the whole thing was fun to read. The story plot about Zeke's mum is not very relevant because it doesn't give much to the story and I didn't really understand who the black dog really was. They weren't key parts of the story but they weren't important one's as well. Overall, this book was funny, a bit boring, and highly enjoyable. I would pitch it to younger readers because the jokes and the fact that the author often states the obvious would be enjoyed by young children.

Ruby
The Perse Carnegians

I enjoyed this book and was definitely a form of escapism with it being set in a secondary school like mine but with wacky super-evil-super-villain's kids walking around. I thought that the topics it covered were very good and should be in more books. I did find some of the wackyness overwhelming so if you read this book I would recommend taking it slowly. Would recommend.

Betty
CSGS Page Turners 26

Chronicles of a lizard nobody is about Zeke, a monitor lizard who is often picked on by the school bully, Pelicarnassus. The book follows him trying, and, eventually, succeeding, to stand up to Pelicarnassus. The main themes of this book are bullying, friendship and mental health. I thought this book was ok. I liked the fact that one of its overall messages was that it's not about how much power you have, it's about what you use it for, but I wish that the plot had been slightly more complicated.

Alexandra
Chiswick Carnegie

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody explores themes like bullying, friendship, hope, and identity. Zeke is an introverted Monitor lizard who has a few friends, Alicia and Daniel. Zeke often feels unimportant and people like his classmates don't seem to notice him. Zeke encounters situations where he can't control himself and also where he feels cornered and lost. An example of this situation is when Pelicarnasus humiliates him during class saying he was fat, poor and could never fit in. He is lifted and feels grateful when he sees that his classmates stand up for him even when they don't know who he is. He starts to learn that even people who feel invisible still matter. Another example is when Zeke struggles with pressure and emotions. Pelicarnassus invades Zeke's personal space and often creates trouble and chaos around him. Zeke being overwhelmed by this punches Pelicarnassus uncontrollably and starts questioning himself. Overall I really like this book because it can contrast to real life situations for certain people and it can teach lessons through scenarios that Zeke is put in. It could teach that even in times of struggle you can always find paths to get out of it.

Dylan
The Lotus Readers

The book “Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody” is a humorous and action-packed graphic novel about a young monitor lizard named Zeke. In an environment where all the animals around him are superheroes, villains and talking animals, it is inevitable that throughout the span of the book Zeke will have to overcome being bullied in such a toxic environment. The book focuses on the challenges and insecurities that Zeke has about trying to fit in and be as amazing as all the people around him. The author used the image of a lizard as well as his relatable and realistic description of his problems. During the story, things escalate and the hall monitors get involved in a fight against the school bullies and powerful enemies, this involves the character Pelicanarsuss, a school bully who is a son of a supervillain. Pelicarnassus enjoys intimidating others and making them fear him that is why Zeke was one of Pelicarnassus's main targets, but as the tension grows, Zeke overcomes his insecurities and fears to fight back learning how to stand up for himself even when things get hard and he is scared. Overall, the book combines a mixture between a cartoonish and fun layout while implanting important lessons about identity and overcoming your fears, creating moments where Zeke realises that even a “nobody” like him can be important.

Bill
The Lotus Readers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a seemingly humorous and lighthearted book that has all of the features of a regular children’s novel, but features deeper, more mature topics such as sickness, disability, and prejudice as well as the value of family and friends. The book’s use of easy-to-understand vocabulary and relatable character design allow younger readers to dip their feet into these harder to understand topics. The writing is compelling, and it is entertaining to read throughout the story. Certain aspects are based in completely fictional territory, while others are more realistic and grounded, such as the main character’s reaction to a loved one in sickness. The story delivers these messages to readers who may face similar challenges in their own lives, showing them that they’re not alone, while simultaneously entertaining them with the book’s more fictional events. Overall, I think it is a great way to deliver messages that readers should definitely know at a young age without needing to be too “adult” or “boring”.

Junior
The Lotus Readers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody delivers a quirky, heartfelt story that blends humour with surprising depth. The protagonist’s journey (Zeke) feels both playful and emotionally grounded, making the stakes grow as the chapters progress. I especially enjoyed how the book balances rapid pacing with vivid moments that invite you to slow down and care. I also find the book meaningful, as the message given is that even when things go wrong, and everything seems like it can’t get worse, it will always get better. Overall, it’s an entertaining, character-driven book that leaves you rooting for the underdog long after the last page.

Dat
The Lotus Readers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is an amazing book based on social anxiety and introverts, but it isn't a normal book. It's full of fun characters and humour which diminishes the intensity of the book which adds kind of soft cushioning. The book perfectly portrays how a kid with social anxiety will go about with school and how they act but in this book the main character later on breaks his chains of his social anxiety. In the book, the lizard has friends who help guide him along the way and eventually they help him slowly adapt to living life without social anxiety with a funny twist not only being educational it's also entertaining!

Aiden
The Lotus Readers

Zeke, Daniel and Alicia were school hall monitors at their school. They were doing great until Pelicarnassus, the son of a supervillain and the school bully, gets Zeke stripped off his role. Things were not looking great for Zeke, but he makes a new friend called Miel, who likes to emphasise it meant "honey" in French, but yells all the time because falcons can only yell (and is blind so has to adapt using his other senses and wear sunglasses). Pelicarnassus broke Zeke's window to have revenge on him by attacking France which is literally on Zeke's knee but Zeke's French planes drove him off. But that wasn't all that. When Zeke was showing France during a Geography lesson, Pelicarnassus invaded the school and intended to destroy it using a giant robot suit. Zeke and his friends managed to destroy the robot suit and save the school, while Pelicarnassus gets his computers banned by his mum because she wanted to deal with him instead of Principal Wombat and had always firmly forbidden him from destroying his school. Thankfully, Zeke gets his Hall Monitor role back. I really enjoyed this book, even though it is aimed a a younger group because it was random and extremely funny in many aspects - it might been the funniest book I have ever read! My favourite character would be Miel, because despite his blindness, is understanding, friendly (despite being loud!) and a good friend to have. Finally, I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for something random or funny to read.

Ibsan
The Perse Carnegians

Such a good book. It combines loads of cool ideas and realistic events and mashes them together into a really heart-warming book. I love how it's not the battle that ends the book happily for Zeke, but it's his mum coming out of hospital and them meeting each other. Best possible ending and one of the most touching books I have ever read.

Matthew
TBGS READERS

I enjoyed reading the lizard nobody because they talked about bullying a lot and mental health which is one of my passions. I also enjoyed reading about Alicia standing up to the bullies triumphantly, despite her small size. The book makes me feel somewhat more confident with the bullies and mental health being overcome by better, happier thoughts and feelings.

Katie
Reading Wizards

Sometimes, it's OK to judge a book by its cover. Sometimes even commendable. This is how I feel about this monstrosity. I understand its not meant to be believable, and it's targeted towards a younger age range, but having heard other readers' views on the books that didn't make the shortlist, it makes me wonder why they would pick this book. I didn't understand the characters honestly, and most characters lacked development. It's theme, bullying, is portrayed very obviously, which a younger age range will be able to understand. But honestly, I didn't think the other themes of the book were portrayed even decently. If I were to put myself into the shoes of an 8 year old, I am sure I would love this book, but I'm not. But, at least the book was a quick read. Overall, I'd say this book is the perfect read for your average 8 year old child, but for quite literally anything else, I am warning you in advance: PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!! And to the people who decided to pick this book for the shortlist: what is wrong with you?!?! 4/10

William B
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I really enjoyed this book because I like seeing characters deal with real-world issues especially issues we face in schools. I also like the theme of overcoming challenges which is dealt with in this book. The author has animals as characters and this helped me look at things from a different perspective.

Annabella
Shelf Indulgence by JCG

I enjoyed reading the book for the following reasons: . The characters all have a special aspect about them . The unfairness towards the lizards made it quite funny . It painted a nice picture of school can be like . It is the type of book that gives people a boost

Ella
Dunraven Carnegie

I really liked the book I one hundred percent recommend. If you are into adventurous animals who have a serious job in school then this book is the one for you.

Dariana
Dunraven Carnegie

This book is a book that i would recommend to people who are 6-10 years old because of the funniness and the descriptive form to every one in the high school. So please do read it!

Ahitana
Dunraven Carnegie

4/5 stars Humour is slightly to young for me but still very funny and a good read Very skibbidi 📚📖

Lucy
Bellerive Bookies and Cookies

I think this is a mixed book because it has funny features in and mini illustrations but it also talks about wellbeing. For really young children I think it could a bit hard to understand some of the things in it . I think it would be good for children 7-11. I think this was a good book I would rate it 7/10.

Ayaan N
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I liked the characters as they where clear and the book was a fun and light read for children aged 9-11 yrs in my opinion. The illustrations fit well with the story - they were "simplistic and self explanatory." The story shows all the aspects for a change in these younger years. It was funny then sad -- it was a roller coaster of a book and I loved it.

ted
TMHS:PageTurners

I felt that the simplicity and comedy of the story could lead to it being a great read for a younger audience. However, I personally didn't enjoy the book as much as some of the other Carnegies. If you are looking for an easy read with some fun doodles, then this book is for you.

Thomas
TMHS:PageTurners

I liked the plot of the story and how the story is laid out. I also liked how funny it was. I also like animals so I really liked the characters in this story.

Cody
Plumites

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is one of the best novels that I have read so far. The novel centers on Zeke, a shy and awkward monitor lizard who often feels invisible at school but gets bullied by Pelicarnassus, the arrogant school bully. One of the books' strong points is illustrations; Tim Miller produces perfect visuals for the situations presented. I would recommend this book to children that are 7-11 years old and love a suspenseful storyline. 9/10

Tom
The Shady Bookhounds

I really enjoyed Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness. It was funny, easy to read and also quite exciting. At the beginning, I was a bit confused by some things, like the story about France being on Zeke's knee, which I distinctevely remembered since I was suprised to hear about France in an English book. What I liked the most was how funny the book was. There are a lot of jokes and silly moments yet it talks about serious topics like friendship or differences between individuals. I also found it interesting that the characters were animals and how they incotporated their animal abilites in human life. For example when the principle explains how he protects himself with his bottom! Overall, I think this book is very entertaining and meaningful at the same time. I would recommend it to anyone who wants an easy and quick read but not boring and always the typical comucical books because it still explores deeper subjects than what you would expect.

Ambre
4Shadowers

‘Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody’ was an enjoyable read and I really liked it. It follows Zeke, a monitor lizard, as he is forced to face his fears, including a bully that was a pelican, named Pelicarnassus. It is especially quirky as all the characters are animals, which makes it wacky and fun. This book never failed to make me laugh, especially with its eccentric plotlines, like France being on Zeke’s knee. Although it is slightly bonkers, it dives into mental health and other themes, such as friendship and bullying. It explores violence and intimidation and how Zeke deals with it among other things. The metaphor of the black dog is particularly useful, representing depression. Zeke also has wonderful friends, Daniel and Alicia. They stand up for him against the bullies and stay by his side until the end. The end of the book is especially hectic and total chaos, which was an exciting and hilarious read. I would recommend this book if you want a good laugh and an imaginative story.

Hailey
Helkats & Hardbacks

The book was good but it wasn't really my cup of tea. I feel like it has a slightly younger target audience but it was still okay. Zeke was a good hero of the story. I felt it was very inclusive because Alicia has two mums and Zeke doesn't have a dad. I think when kids see these sorts of people (especially children) in the media and books, it lets them know they're not the only people who are going through these sorts of things. I would recommend this book to readers in years 5-7 as I think they will find it lots of fun.

Elsa
The Shady Bookhounds

This book is funny and silly and goofy in all the right ways. Unfortunately it didn't land with me. The writing felt like it was designed for an older audience than the actual content of the book, in which the actual country of France lives on the protagonist's knee. The odd darker theme can throw you off, like the death and depression it randomly tells you about halfway through. I would recommend this to any older reader who likes properly fantastical ideas with serious themes under the surface. I'm not really sure I understood what the author was trying to say.

Toby
The Wondrous Book & Biscuit Club

The whole book was hilarious. My favourite character was Zeke. I liked how the book wasn't just a comedy, it had lots of deeper themes. I'd give this book 4/5 stars. It was very good.

Lucas
The SGS Book Bandits

The first thing to say is that the storyline of The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody may not be for everyone. I read this book and personally thought that it was an excellent choice for a Carnegie, however it may be better in a younger age category. I thought the plot line was a bit far-fetched but if you decided to just go along with it you realise it is actually quite enjoyable. I think there may have been some bits that confused me such as France on Zeke’s knee but that did get explained to me eventually in the book so I understand that well now! The plot follows three monitor lizards Zeke, Daniel and Alicia who have recently become hall monitors until Zeke punches the school bully and gets his responsibilities revoked. The book then follows how they befriend a hawk and escape the bully’s evil plans to ruin them. Overall I would say that this is an enjoyable book but definitely one to be read with an open mind!

Naomi
Helkats & Hardbacks

This is not my typical read but I knew that there would be something special within the pages as it is written by Patrick Ness and I wasn't wrong. With an absolutely bonkers setting in a school full of random animals we follow Zeke and his fellow lizard group who get the opportunity to be hall monitors. Factor in a big bad bully and Zeke's own personal tragedy and you get a heart warming and funny tale addressing mental health and bullying from an entirely different perspective. Throw in some fantastic illustrations and it really does go to show that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

Michelle
AB Everyone Reading

In this book, I think it was a bit strange how Pelicarnassus got a gigantic robot. However it was verry humorous. I didn't understand the storyline and him having France on his knee. But it was really good having animal facts.

Theodore
Elms Shadowing 2026

I really liked this book because it was funny and the storyline was written well. I think the characters were presented very well. I also like how it was set in an animal school as it made the book quite interesting.

Evangeline
Elms Shadowing 2026

I found this book really enjoyable to read and I found the storyline very gripping. I felt it had some funny moments but some moments were tricky to understand. Overall, I think it was a solid book but I think it could have been easier to understand if some moments were altered slightly.

Teddy
Elms Shadowing 2026

I enjoyed reading this book. the main theme in this book is Zeke and his friends - they are monitor lizards who get put on hall monitor duty but Pelicarnasus(a pelican) is a bully and he was bullying Zeke and his friends but Zeke had enough so he punched him and got the hall monitor duty taken off of him. Pelicarnus's mum is a supervillain so he wants to take after her so his plan is to invade France. I would recommend this book to others because it is an interesting book to read.

poppy
Vista Academy Littleport

This book is one of the weirdest yet funniest books I have read. It follows two monitor lizards, Zeke and Daniel that are hall monitors. At school they get into all sorts of wacky adventures and even a giant pelican robot. This book has all sorts of twists and turns throughout, and even can be read quickly if you are in a rush. I would rate this book a 5/5

Aidan
Epsomians

This is not a book I would normally read but I enjoyed it! It was a bit confusing in some parts of the book when the 'France on his knee' was mentioned and the 'black dog'. It had a good plot and lots of good characters. My favourite was Zeke or Miel. Zeke because he never gave up and Miel because he never stopped trying even with his disability. I would recommend this book to 7-10 year olds. I thought it was a bit basic for older than years 6 but probably too advanced for younger than year 3 or 4. Overall, I would give this book a 3/5.

Lukshmi
CSGS Page Turners 26

It was a really good book and it made me laugh on multiple occasions. The fact that France was on his knee I found brilliant. I did think it got a bit crazy at some bits but overall great. I would rate it 8.5/10. Keep writing.

Arwen
Dunraven Carnegie

The illustrations are hilarious and the evil pelican is very annoying

Jack
Fullbrook Bookworms

I generally thought this book was quite good. Although it wasn't at all for my age group, it was still really fun and enjoyable to read. I did think that the book could have had a more intriguing plot in the middle to keep me turning the pages. I would say this book is really funny and easy and I would say that this should be for ages 7-10

Arya
Rainbeau Readers

I personally think that it is a really good book from what I have read from the sample, it is also funny with the jokes it makes. I would like to read the whole book.

Eoin
Rad readers

I was not a fan of Lizard Nobody as I found the story line generic and childish which was not well suited for the age range. It is a book about animals that go to school and a lizard gets bullied by a pelican who wants to be a supervillain. I found parts of this story quite random and weird for example the lizard has France as in the whole country on his knee. I also didn’t find it particularly interesting or unique. I thought the idea and story line was unoriginal. Personally, I would not recommend it to older kids however some younger kids might like it.

Hattie
Chiswick Carnegie

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is an upbeat and action filled tale, following Zeke's life as he attempts to live a normal life after the death of is father and his mothers mental struggles ever since. He studies among other animals in his school, facing bullying and effects of a hagiarchy. As the story progresses he must face dangers and supervillains with the help of his friend, teaching the valuable lessons of friendship, community and importance of support

Taira
Chiswick Carnegie

this book was so fun i love it but there was so bets that i didn't like in the story and i really likes lizards character this book was very simple book

lamar m
Lionheart2026

I think that the story had a very creative theme whilst also relating to real life challenges. Although the book was very enjoyable, some of the vocabulary may seem confusing for younger people. However, the crazy themes (such as Pelicarnassus' robot pelican suit) makes it a very enjoyable read. My favourite character was Zeke because he was always determined to claim victory over his foes. Miel was also an amazing character as he prevented his disabilities from taking the best of him. Overall, a very enjoyable read that I would recommend to 9-10 year old's.

Raf
Ousedale Olney

I feel that the chronicles of a lizard nobody book was hard to follow the storyline because it was talking about some thing then something else. The age is 7+ which i think is suitable for the storyline but the vocabulary is not suitable for age 7+. I also think that 7 year old would not understand the reference to to what the black dog means or what the word coincidentally actually means.

Evelyn
Ousedale Olney

'Lizard Nobody' is about a lizard called Zeke and his friends, Alicia and Daniel (who are hall monitors). And things go wrong when Zeke gets his job revoked. In the book, I really enjoyed the fight between Ms. Pfister and Zeke, which I enjoyed because I liked how Zeke defended himself, but also fought back - trying to keep his reputation. However, I did not like how Pelecarnasus was being mean to Miel (the blind bird). I also did not like how simple parts of the story were - it was a bit like a fairytale (which have a certain type of resolution at the end). Overall, I would recommend this book for kids - it was really nice and I enjoyed it. **** out of five stars.

Hashim
Rockwood Reads

It's a very fun little relaxing book, overall just a fun book to read only wished it was a bit longer

Jacob
Carmel Shadowers

I've read a monster calls and the rest of us live here so I've liked your books for a while. However, it surprises me that you manage to be very diverse and appeal to younger readers in this book. Your use of abstract ideas and humor manage to keep it light hearted yet explain serious topics to younger readers like carrying burdens and depression so keep it up and well done.

Muzeeba
Carnegivores

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody: I really enjoyed this book. It was funny and exciting. if I am honest, at first I was confused about some elements, like the entire ‘France on his knee’ situation. But now I have read the book I am invested in it completely. The black dog also confused me but now I realise what it represents I am both surprised and impressed. The twist at the end was exciting. We knew Pelicarnassus was a villain, but I was not expecting the lengths he went to. The themes of friendship despite differences came through and the emotional arc about Zeke was also strong and compelling. Even though the characters were animals, the story echoed human life conflicts. Overall I would give this book a solid 7/10 and am likely to read the sequel.

Avery
TPS Carnegie Collective

I enjoyed this book not only because it was an easy read, but also because it can help people who have been bullied take their mind off the fact that they were bullied by reading this fun and humourous book. This book is also good as it a great read for all ages and it is full of illustrations to help you picture what is happening . Overall, it is a good book.

xavier
4Shadowers

I think the book was a big laugh! It was an easy read but a very enjoyable book . I loved the shadower's challenge and the description of the book was based on real life. It described how disabilities are not always bad.

Ingrid
The BSGC Carnegie Collective

This book is amazing as the plot and jokes were great. It was very funny and entertaining keeping me hooked to the book. My favourite character has to be Daniel as he was very funny and silly. Even though this book is for younger kids I would recommend it for anyone who is into comedy books. I loved the backstory of France being on Zeke's knee, that was a creative idea. The book had a very nice ending with him hugging his mum and her saying I love you. Pelicarnuss was a very good villain thinking he was a supervillain. Overall this book was absolutely amazing.

luke
Plumites

I loved Chronicles of Lizard Nobody. It was a vibrant starburst of unforgettable characters and hilarious scenarios Intertwined with complex issues. The fact that are the characters are animals only adds to the books fantastic featured as the parallel between personality and animal is biomimicry at its finest. My favourite character was Zeke he is thoughtful and caring but protective and fierce too. I also like how in the school the different types of animals are usually friends with the same animals as them since I think it effectively illustrates how groups are often formed in schools. This book is full of bellychear and colour and is a wonderful world always ready to welcome someone into its pages.

Maya
The Silver_tongues

I thought that this was quite a nonsensical, playful book about monitor lizards. Although I found the book quite childish and absurd, I would definitely recommend this book to my younger brother!

Muhsina
Carnegivores

I thought this book was brilliant. It was unapologetically direct about how people are different from each other, which can lead to conflict when people are cruel and ignorant. It approached neurodivergence, class differences and race in a manner much in the same way as children, who are often just curious and accept people for who they are. I liked the characters, especially Miel as he had a strong sense of self that acted kind of like an anchor for his friends. Even though he ended up making mistakes, he apologised and acknowledged them, which gave his character a level of maturity that I liked in contrast with some of the others. Even though it ended in a way (the final battle) that I myself as an older reader wasn't really interested in, the story contained themes and characters that definitely kept me hooked throughout. I enjoyed the way we left off Zekes' story in the end, I think that last bit was written really well.

Zoë
The High Storrs Shadows

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody was a fantastic book that covered the concept of how to deal with bullying and what to avoid if you are being bullied. This is shown when Zeke (the main character, a lizard) has to deal with Pelicanarssus (a pelican bully). I enjoyed how all the characters were animals which meant the reader had to read the book in a different perspective. Additionally, the book covered the topics of friendship, valuing one another and the importance of family. Finally, I liked this book because there was a lot of action especially towards the end of the novel.

Sotiris
The Perse Carnegians

This book was really funny and for me, it was a very pleasing book. Some of the story was ridiculous (humorous) and I could not help but let out a chuckle. I also love animals, and I found this a very exciting read - short but sweet. The best thing is that younger children can read it too, and it shows that everything happens for a reason. This book was super enjoyable and I liked it a lot.

Raine
Rainbeau Readers

Very chaotic book; I think the author did a great job with his imagination in this book. However, although the story starts normally, it slowly loses its plot and storyline. Many of the side-characters are very undeveloped (Only a few of the characters are developed) and many elements of the story, such as Zeke's mum, start well but slowly fizzles out. This book is probably best suited for children younger like ages 7-10 because it's better for someone who would rather have good ideas than a good plot. Overall, The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a 7.5/10.

Felix
The Perse Carnegians

I found this book comical but I found there was too much crammed into one book. I would spilt it up into two books. It was slightly childish so I did end up reading it to my little brother; he really enjoyed it! Overall I would give it a 2/5 stars. It was also very confusing and comical that the main character ended up having France on his knee. Also when the bully ended up trying to invade France he could of just put his wing on the knee and then it would be taken over so I would recommend it to younger readers (aged 5-10) as maybe their first read. It was good but it was just too childish in my opinion. Other people may disagree but do give it a shot and give it a read!

Aurora
Larkmead

The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody had a really good plot as it showed some struggles that people can actually face in real life while still having some really funny completely nonsense bits . The characters are so well thought out as they can relate to people while still being lizards . It celebrates the underdog (Zeke) who struggles to fit in with social standards and throughout his story he faces challenges and triumphs through it all ultimately facing his enemy at the end and winning . Overall the book was very good and written amazingly to fit in to normal standards in life.

alice
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

To begin with I found this book quite confusing and strange but in the end I found it was very good and nothing like any other book I had read before. It was a little young for me but I still enjoyed it none the less.

Zoë
Skipton Shadows

I enjoyed reading this book, I thought the way it dealt with bigger themes in a way younger children can understand was nice. I also thought the illustrations were really good. As an older reader, I found the book quite chaotic at times, but overall I enjoyed the original ideas and the story.

Eleanor
The High Storrs Shadows

I found the book very unique as I had never read a book like it. The plot about how Zeke had to stand up to his bully and fight for himself is a strong role model for many people who find it hard to face troubles in their life. I would give this book an 8 out of 10 because it also makes you think in some parts and always has had me emerged inside the action.

Rhiyan
The WH shadowers

I adore Patrick Ness' books but this one was completely different and I'm ashamed to say, not one of my favourites! I found it so totally bonkers that I couldn't quite get on board - maybe because I listened to it as an audio, meant I lost the joy of the illustrations, but this one wasn't for me - sorry Mr Ness!

Mrs May
The Mockingjays

This personally isn't one of my favorite books but I think it's great for younger readers since it is funny and it has good illustration.

Marwa
Dunraven

I like the book because it could show some parts of bulling and could help some people who are being bullied. I would recommend it to young people because it is a story with animals as all of the characters and it has a lot of pictures in it.

Gilbert
Kingdown Wilts

I am more of an older reader but I found that this was still an enjoyable read, as when you first look at it you first think of a more childish cartoon-like storyline but it actually covers deeper themes such as bullying and more detail than seen to the eye which I thought is very important to showcase to younger readers. I really liked the idea of everyday school children being represented as animals as it is something I had never read about before. If there was one thing I had to critique, it would probably be just that because I am a slightly older reader I found the illustrations visually appealing but slightly unnecessary to the storyline of the book. Overally, I highly reccomend it and give it a 8/10!

Lishane
MTS Northwood

I really enjoyed the chronicles of Lizard Nobody because it was such a funny, engaging, playful book filled with cute little cartoon illustrations. I have to say that I was a bit confused when I read that ‘France was on Zekes knee’ but soon understood later on in the book. Even though this was a book aimed for younger readers I found that the language used was quite advanced and sad moments like Zeke's ill mother that made the book even more exciting. The action was also very well written and very entertaining! I would definitely recommend it to younger readers!

Jana
The Perse Carnegians

I really liked this book. It was super fun to read and I really enjoyed the layout of the book. The opening of the book made me want to carry on reading it and really dragged me in to the story because it left some things unanswered at the start but finished them later, but some things could have been answered a bit more like the black dog as they didn't really develop it that much but the rest was good. It also did all make sense by the end even though I did get a little lost in the big fight scene between the pelican and Zeke but by the end everything worked out and it all made sense. I really liked reading this book all topics were really interesting and fun.

Albie
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

Nayra
The BSGC Carnegie Collective

I liked the book very much but I didn't find myself fully engrossed in it. It embraces delicate and complicated themes in a way for smaller kids to understand. As I mentioned, I found it a bit childish because of the robots and lasers ; overall I think it was a pleasant book.

Nayra
The BSGC Carnegie Collective

I absolutely adored the book and the way it dealt and coped with diffucult problems in a way kids could understand. Like the black dog ; France on Zeek's knee. I loved the fun and lightness of this book.

Zaira
The BSGC Carnegie Collective

I think Lizard Nobody is a very funny book and very easy to read but with important concepts that are difficult to understand so I would recommend reading it once from 5 to 9 years and then reading it again from 11 to 14 to understand anything that you missed in your first read.

Nur
The BSGC Carnegie Collective

i Especially liked Miel and France . the illustrations were really nice to so overall a very good book it was interesting and not confusing so you knew what was going on at all times. it was very funny so i recommend!

ava
Dunraven Carnegie

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Although it is more for younger readers, I really loved the book and found it as one of the funniest books I have ever read [even if it's plot wasn't that well structured]. 9/10 From me.

Sandy
Dunraven Carnegie

I really enjoyed this book, it links to how school is nowadays, the hierarchy, the corrupt system, the bullying just everything seems so accurate. I loved it, I felt it related to me and that is a key thing, the fact it relates to the readers!! My favourite character is probably Alicia as she's an observant character as well as loyal friend and fierce hall moniter.

Buri
9y2

I am reviewing a book called the 'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' by Patrick Ness. I enjoyed this book as it has been written in quite a clever way. What I mean by that is that the author has described some quite upsetting themes whilst mainly writing in a child friendly manner. I do like this way of writing as he is talking about something that I would probably get quite upset about but in a way that doesn't really upset me much. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a nice chill read, however do watch out for the sad bits. I think this book deserves a 7/10, purely for the way he's written it.

Tom
Hope Valley Literati

The book was great! I loved the creativeness and how the story is always exiting. My favorite part was when Zeki punched the bully. I thought the illustrations were simple and cartoonlike which was good. I also liked how the layout was set , and the characters. The plot was fairly fast. Overall, I recommend this book!

max
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

I really enjoyed this book this book I thought it was very well written. I thought that it wasn't confusing at all and the layout was good as well. I thought that the pictures gave a really fun and engaging spin to it! But the main that made me enjoy this book so much was the realistic problems such as bullying and abuse ( I think ) but even if it was meant for slightly a younger audience it still works for our age group as it highlights major problems in our society in a nice way! I think this book even made me laugh out load which is very rare for a book so I really really enjoyed this one, would definitely recommend! I also really enjoyed the artwork in this book and I think it was clever in the way that it explained and showed discrimination and bullying through the drawings which was very clever and enjoyed it.

Joel
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

I didn’t overly enjoy this book because i found it a bit childish, at least for my taste. I feel the constant wars between pelicarnasuss and Zeke were just too much and made the book slightly less enjoyable. I really loved the hidden meaning behind the black dog and how it interacted with Zeke. I would recommend this book to 8-11 year olds.

Caitlin
Larkmead

Lizard nobody: The book lizard nobody by Patrick ness has made me feel like I want to face my fears. This is Because in the book, zeke (the lizard hall monitor) feels like he doesn’t matter or that he isn’t as important as some of the other, louder animals. Suddenly there are all these dangers putting the school in jepardy which forces him to go on an adventure. On the adventure he is forced to confront his fears. Along the way of this journey he learns that bravery isn’t about being all that it’s about doing what’s right in the situation even if it makes you feel like a nobody. In the end I feel like this books message is about self worth and finding your place even though you may not be in it right now.

Zach
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

France? What in the world does this have to do with anything? Honestly, I hated this book. Compared with Ness' usual style and choice of topic, this definitely feels almost humiliating. And yes, I do know it's targeted at a younger audience, but I still found it degrading from Ness's outstanding reputation as a YA author. The plot I hated because of its overarching simplicity. It was your classic American children's book: A boy at school, he has some issues at home, is being bullied, then suddenly defeats all his bullies and they now think him really cool. I also did not particularly like the use of animal characters, it just didn't seem at all necessary. And now to France. Zeke, the protagonist, for whatever reason (This is just dived into, but information about it is very scarce) has the entire nation of France on on of his knees, What, and I mean what, possessed Ness to include this. At least if you're going to do this, Have some reasoning behind, beyond having a very drunk great-grandfather. This is a book that isn't worth a score out of ten, it's one I'd cast into the dark recesses of a well, not read.

Rory
KES Readers

This book was hilarious, from chapter 1 I was hooked! It had me laughing nearly the whole way through - while it was funny it did have some serious moments which I think helped balance it out, but overall it had me wheezing and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would totally recommend it to someone who likes 13 story treehouse or David Walliams or Roald Dahl

Natalia
Horsham BOok HUNTers

I’d give this book a 7/10, but honestly, I’m being a little biased because I’ve heard Patrick Ness’s other books and they are actually amazing. Compared to something like The Knife of Never Letting Go, the English in this one was not the best—it felt like a 5-year-old could read it. Don’t get me wrong, the lizard hall-monitor idea is funny, and the art is cool, but if you’re used to his more intense stuff, the writing here feels way too 'babyish' and simple. It’s a solid story if you want something fast and weird, but it definitely didn't hit as hard as his older books because it felt like it was written for little kids. My favourite character is... Drum roll... Miel. IT MEANS HONEY! If you've read the book, you'll understand the reference. I'm not doing any art for this, sorry.

Fatimah
BAS Reading Champions

I enjoy this funny crazy book a lot, I like the fact that you get to see all the different animals at school. At school they have do deal with a bully called Pelicrnassus who likes to make people look small and powerless, and he sees the lizards as an easy target because they are different. Meanwhile Zeke is trying to protect his friends and figure out how to be a good friend and how to stand up for himself. And even though this book looks all happy it can show how hard it is to not fit into society and this story shows that being different isn’t always the worst because there is someone out there who feeels the exact same. But overall this book was great and had good drawings and it was quite easy to read I would definitely recommend reading this book because it would probably make you laugh.

george
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

this book is a good book to read and laugh at.I would recomend this to a new year 7 who may feel like they dont fit in or need a confidence boost to help them. I really liked the drawrings in this book and the way certain charecters were drawn, the only fault about this book for me personally was the fact that it was a hard book to get stuck into and the main story about Zeke the lizard was accually quite sad and was expressed in a fun way and i didnt think it needed to.

Lily
THS Book Crew

Even though this book is short and targeting younger audiences, I thoroughly enjoyed it! it reminded me of the 13-story treehouse series, so if you're into that I highly recommend. You really bond to the characters and it is very comedic!

Josh
Tenbury Page Turners 26

I would give this book a 7 out of 10 as I think it explores many themes like friendship, teamwork with a hint of humour. I think the pace of the book is good and it does not focus on one thing for too long. However, it can go quite fast in some parts. The book has a range of characters which all have different personalities which you can relate to.

Daniel
Tenbury Page Turners 26

It wasn’t the book for me. I think some of the humour was hard to understand, but I can also see its appeal because in our group session when I explained the book to others it sounded quite funny and several other people in the group were intrigued and have now borrowed it for their next read.

Bailey
Epsomian Shortlist Shadowers

I liked this book because it is humorous but also discussed themes of belonging and self worth. I enjoyed it because it was very random and chaotic at times but still had a clear storyline and message. Overall, I would recommend this book, especially to young people who want a quick, funny book to read.

Charlie
Epsomian Shortlist Shadowers

This book was very unusual and quite random but I still enjoyed it. When I was telling my friends some of the things that happen in the book they where all extremely curious and asked to read it next.

Arabella
Epsomian Shortlist Shadowers

This is a book where you can judge a book by its cover. In my opinion this was a terrible book, worst one by far this year. Side quests, unreal ideas. I mean France on somebody's knee - how silly. The plot didn't add up since it pretty much didn't have one! I normally put a positive in but for me there was none. I would seriously not recommended this book to ANYBODY. 1/10

Seb
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

This was the first younger child book that I actually enjoyed. It has a easy to follow story line and touches on some major growing up themes. It touches on things that can affect children in school e.g. Bullying and Friendship but also things that can affect them at home as well e.g. Neglect and Poverty. The main character, Zeke is extremely likable because as I was reading I noticed how much you can see yourself in him and really empathize with him through his struggles. It perfectly appeals to a younger audience though the humor and use of animals within the book but also touches on disabilities like ADHD and visual struggles. All round, I really enjoyed this book for its humor and reliability.

Ruby
Thomas Tallis Reads

I like this book because it is not too serious, I highly recommend for teens that refuse to grow up

marcus
The Broxbourne Readers

This is definitely my favourite Carnegie book. It is different to the other books because it is very nonsensical and funny. For example, the main character has the country of France on his knee because his great great great great great grandfather was rude so the queen of France cast a spell on him so that their country will be on his knee.

Zak
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

When Principal Wombat makes monitor lizards Zeke, Daniel, and Alicia hall monitors, Zeke gives up on popularity at his new school. 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. The pelican is a famed international super villain, when his mother isn’t looking. I liked this book because it had pictures and it was a bit of humour, Which is nice!

Michelle
Vista Academy Littleport

The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness was a very interesting story and I personally enjoyed it even as a guy who isn’t a large fan of reading. I thought that the book had an amazing imagination and it was almost like every idea possible was all rolled up and put into this story which I really like. However this was also a bit of a problem as I sometimes felt a bit overwhelmed with what was going on mainly due to too much information going on. However this did not stop the story from having amazing plot points like Daniel saving Zeke after Zeke was picked up and dropped by Pelicarnassus which I felt was quite cool but sometimes I thought that maybe there was too much or not enough of something like I enjoyed the scene where Sharon the panda stands on a pillar and the pillar breaks and she falls i like the idea but I didn’t then feel we had enough of those moments with Sharon the panda, another example is when they have friendly conversations to me it just feels like to many conversations are happening in the same conversation and maybe it’s just me who feels this way but I felt like it was very packed with stuff like that. Overall I would rate highly of Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody because it’s those occasional moments that make me want to keep reading just to see if this leads somewhere and in the end I felt it did.

Rafferty
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a comical book similar style to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, taking you through a week in the life of a monitor lizard who has to stand up to bullies at school. The main character Zeke -a peach throated monitor -must learn to stand up to Pelicarnassus -the school-bully- and his lackeys Norman and Norman. He makes friends with a blind red-tailed hawk and ultimately goes up against Pelicarnassus in an epic battle at the end. This made me feel happy as it shows that even the smallest of things can fend for themselves.

Oliver
The Fitzharrys Shadows

I love this book; it has a mix of real life things that could happen to you e.g. bullying. I empathized with the character because he was bullied at school and when he was at home he didn't have support from his mum who was not there for him. I would recommend this book because it's fantastic! :)

Ellie
Brookie Reads

I think it's a REALLY good book to read - I enjoyed it and it was funny.

Poppy
Brookie Reads

'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' is the story of a lizard called Zeke who became an enemy of Pelicanarssus and it goes downhill after that... I would award this book 4.5 stars out of 5 as it is really good and I loved the plot. It was a good read!

Zara
Montsaye Shadow Readers

Moyin
Busy Bee Readers

Jessica
Busy Bee Readers

Denisa
Busy Bee Readers

A very interesting and relatable book. It is and odd but well-done plot and is a very good book

owen
Bramcote College Library

This book turned out to be much more enjoyable than I expected. I found it funny and entertaining, and the plot kept my interest throughout. That said, it was clearly aimed at a younger audience, and I think it works really well for that age group. While I personally tend to prefer more mature reads, I appreciated the chance to try a different style of book. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience, even if not exactly my usual choice.

Amelie
Larkmead

This book is written by the author Patrick Ness and the Illustrator Tim Miller. It is about some monitor lizards who get jobs in their school to monitor the halls to see if anyone who is in the hall who shouldn’t be in there. But it goes wrong when the school bully, Pelicarnassus, makes them so angry that Zeke, one of the lizards, punches him. This gets him expelled from school for a day, and had to apologize to Pelicarnassus. But then he developed a strong grudge against Zeke that gets completely out of hand. We are also told about the country France ending up on Zeke’s knee, which was a curse passed down from one of his ancestors. At the end of the book, Pelicarnassus gets a harsh telling off from his parents for holding such a grudge, and Zeke is a hall monitor again. In my opinion, it is a funny book that inspires kids to stand up to bullies, and shows that even if you don’t seem like a hero, you still can be one.

Joshua
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

The book is very good and is probably targeted for younger kids [ such as late primary schoolers, 5 and six and maybe year 7/8]. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who like fun or action books that are funny!

Blue Cover
HAEC Books and Biscuits Carnegie Shadowers

CHRONICALS OF A LIZARD NOBODY BY PATRICK NESS This book is quite funny and very interesting from beginning to end. There are lots of funny moments that really make you laugh, and it’s very enjoyable to read. The story is easy to follow, but it still keeps you interested the whole way through. I found myself wanting to keep reading to see what would happen next. There are some sad parts in the story too. For example it is quite upsetting when one of the monitor lizards loses his job and you really feel sorry for him at that point. However, the story does not stay sad for long and overall it feels positive and uplifting. My favourite part is when the monitor lizard earns his job back. I really liked how this part of the story was written because it made me feel happy and satisfied. It showed that things can get better even after something goes wrong. I would recommend this book to children who enjoy stories with problems and solutions. It has a very good plot from start to finish and I liked the way everything came together. The illustrations are also cool!

Benjamin
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

This book is about a lizard who is called Zeke and he becomes a hall monitor lizard with his friends Daniel and Alicia but there is a school bully who is called Pelicarnassus. The three friends defend Zeke from the bully because he’s is trying to destroy the school. The main character is Zeke but my favourite character is Alicia because she is willing to protect her friends from danger and I also like this book because of all the friendship and things the group went through, I also loved it because it is a animal book.

Evie N
HHS 2026

This book was really fun to read! I liked the fact that there were giant robots near the end, and that all the hall monitors were the same species/animal. My favourite part was probably the fight between Zeke and Ms Pfister!

Amelia
Weald of Kent Grammar (Sevenoaks)

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is an inspirational book in which a Monitor lizard and his Monitor lizard friends try and defeat the ultimate school bully, a pelican that has a thing for hats, whose mum is a criminal mastermind, and his cronies (two storkes). In doing so he saves France from being invaded by a squadron of fighter jets sent by his arch enemy, his mum from a black dog that follows her around and his school from destruction. It is an exciting book that explores important subjects that are sometimes overlooked, forgotten and brushed aside, including: friendship, trust, responsibility, poverty and disabilities. With a plot twist at the end and funny characters throughout such as a Principal wombat and an angry pony, it is a great book that has a deeper meaning to it and helps explain life’s problems in a much lighter way. I would highly recommend it as a good read for all ages and abilities. A truly well written piece by Patrick Ness!

Rosie
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

This book is better than most Carnegie books. The idea of a protagonist and an antagonist is actually creative for a Carnegie book as most of them are about a character's personal life and personal struggles. I never thought this could possibly be a Carnegie hence its themes. It is also very engaging and joyful to read.

Mahad.K
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I found the book funny and the plot was vey interesting. Also having such funny characters great villains and fights. But I did find it quite random and switches between scenes too quick.

Yazid
LatLit

I thought this book was interesting but quite obviously targeted at a younger audience. The humour could be funny at times. I was able to get into the book which was a positive and did enjoy it overall. I would give it a 7/10

Ben P
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I hated Lizard Nobody. It was so ridiculously far fetched and felt as if it was for toddlers. It had no real plotline, there were no real world-building skills and it felt like its sole purpose was to entertain very young children and purge the minds of older people like me. -1/10

Toby
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a fun, chaotic, and enjoyable read. It is about the school life of 3 lizards called Zeke, Daniel and Alicia and a blind hawk called miel. In this book the lizards experience challenges of being bullied. There are also the themes of friendship and struggles of family life.This book was really funny especially because Zeke has the entire country of France on his knee. I would recommend this book to anybody, but especially younger children. 4/5.

Henry c
Glossopdale Readers

Henry
Glossopdale Readers

I thoroughly enjoyed the chronicles of Lizard Nobody because I thought it was a light hearted book about a serious topic and it was done really well. The protagonist Zeke is a monitor lizard and is told to be a hall monitor with his friends, as they did this the antagonist Pelicarnassus fat shamed Zeke and made Zeke attack him. The story was well crafted and thought about and I had a lot of fun reading it and would recommend this to people who want a better idea on how mental health works without having to be too serious about it. This book is definitely aimed towards younger people but it is still a great read for all ages. Overall I would rate this book a 4.5/5 stars as this is one of the best books I've read since year 7.

Oliver R
Glossopdale Readers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a book where Daniel and his friends conquer a school bully. I like this book because Daniel is juggling multiple issues at once while trying to keep calm and relaxed by spending time with his friends in school. The bully in this story is a rich descendant of super villain pelicans. Daniel has problems as he lost his father and he rarely sees his mother. In this society, Birds are rich because of their ability to fly. I would give this book 4 and a half stars, I would recommend this book to people in school/education because it perfectly highlights how victims of bullying are mostly ignored, which helps raises awareness and how they resolve it. The literature style paired with the excellent storytelling really make this book shine brighter than most books.

Charlie S
Glossopdale Readers

An okay book at the beginning but got really random at the end. It was a fun read were you could just enjoy the humor. The story did not make sense thematically at all though.

Kyriacos
The Broxbourne Readers

At the start of the book I was quite confused about its key message, but once I finished reading it, it was clear that the author was trying to say that friendship is important. I liked how he represented human's personalities through animals. I also liked how the black dog following the mum showed that she was depressed. Overall, I found this book very easy to read. I would recommend it to younger readers.

Anya
Shelf Indulgence by JCG

I really liked this book as it followed monitor lizard Zeke, with Pelicarnassus as his enemy. Like how it has so many twists, like France on Zeke's knee, the hall monitor sashes shooting lasers and Pelicarnassus's mum being a supervillain. There are also some emotional twists, like Zeke's mum not being with him because of the big black dog she has. I also really like that Zeke's friends, Daniel and Alecia, who always have is back. And that Zeke stood up for justice and stood up for himself, which should set an example to the people of today.

akmal
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I found this book hilarious and quite childish, but I didn't mind that. Some may have found this book confusing but it carried important messages about bullying, depression and poverty (though I'm not exactly sure what having France on his knee represents!). I really enjoyed this book, especially the characters such as Miel. (IT MEANS HONEY!)

Rowan
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody was a good book. It is about a lizard called Zeke who goes to school with his other lizard friends, Daniel and Alicia, and when they all become hall monitors, they’re all excited. But then the bully of the school, Pelicarnassus makes fun of Zeke for his weight. Then Zeke gets really angry and lashes out at him. It is an imaginative and random book about friendship and the struggles of being bullied and the depression between a mother and a son, I liked this book because you never knew what was going to happen next, meaning there was never a boring moment in this book. 8.5/10.

Sebastian H
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a very well-written book, in my opinion. The book follows the story of a monitor lizard named Zeke, who gets promoted to a hall monitor at his school, along with his friends, Daniel and Alicia. With this promotion, they are given special red sashes (this will be important later). After this promotion, he gets bullied by a supervillain pelican named Pelicarnassus. Then, he retaliates. Due to this sudden retribution, Zeke gets demoted from his hall monitor role. He consults Daniel and Alicia on how to get his revenge on Pelicarnassus. Meanwhile, Pelicarnassus formulates a plan to destroy the school. He creates a giant pelican suit equipped with powerful lasers to eradicate the school. When Pelicarnassus finally gets around to executing his plan, Zeke and his friends wield the special red sashes, which secretly held the power to destroy the mech pelican suit. Overall, I would say the book was enjoyable and easy to read. 8/10.

Arthur
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

I really really liked the book 'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' because of it's amazing story, it starts with Zeke and his friends becoming Hall Monitors which is made funny because Zeke and his friends are the only Hall Monitors but they are also monitor lizards and every time Zeke tries to bring up this point with the principal (called Principal Wombat) she always says that it has nothing to do with them being monitor lizards but on Zeke's first day on the job a pelican called Pelicarnassus, a wannabe super villain, starts a fight by calling Zeke fat which causes Zeke to lose his job as an Hall Monitor and in the middle of the story we learn a bit more about Zeke (he literally has France on his knee) but near the end of the story Pelicarnassus attacks Zeke and his friends with a giant robot pelican but after Pelicarnassus is defeated everything ends well as the last time we see Zeke in this book he is hugging his mum.

Hendrix
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

I loved Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody because it is about a lizard boy called Zeke, experiencing school life and bullying. If I could describe the book in three words, it would be funny, childish and tense, at some times, ending with a dramatic fight against Pelicarnassus, where Daniel and Alicia, Zeke's friends, get really cool superpowers(lasers!). It was really worth reading the book and it had lots of pictures, which I personally liked. I would recommend this to anyone at all who has a good sense of humor, likes animals and is looking forwards to read a good book. The books starts when a peach-throated monitor lizard, Zeke, gets chosen as a Hall Monitor. Everything is fine, until a bully and a wannabe supervillain, Pelicarnassus, starts acting weirdly to Zeke and his friends- randomly bullying them and winding them up. When Zeke had enough, he punches Pelicarnassus- which was a huge mistake. His Hall Monitor sash gets taken off him and he gets sacked from his role. But Pelicarnassus vows revenge. So, he tries to invade France, which was on his knee(the real country), but fails. Things have took off with a bad start. Then, Zeke's mother, who is struggling with depression, has to go to hospital when she is getting worse. Her black dog, who always growls at Zeke, is a metaphor of her depression, always following her, like a burden on Zeke's mum. This is one of the books, aimed for younger age groups, where it tackles something which adults face everyday, put into the way that children understand them and it is an amazing book!

Mithulesh A
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I like this book's ending , the characters and the representation of important subjects such as depression. My top 2 favourite characters were Miel and Alicia because of their personalities and how they treated others, but I liked every character each in a different way. My only bit of criticism is the pacing, before the final battle I felt like we weren't getting anywhere but when it started it only lasted for a couple short chapters. In the end however , it did make me smile seeing Zeke hug his Mum after all that happened. I really recommend this book if you want a book that give you good laugh but can also pull at your heartstrings. If that is what you're looking for then read "Chronicles of a lizard nobody" .

Ala
Bassingbourn Readers

Arabella
Epsomians

I really enjoyed this book because not only was the plot good, the characters were funny, and the illustrations made the whole book better. Overall, I would give this book a rating of 10/10 because I like how Patrick Ness has highlighted themes of not only friendship, but also bullying and mental health which really tugs on my heart strings

Skye
Vista Academy Littleport

A magical and exciting story! It shows that even a 'nobody' can be a hero. The mystery of the flying pig and the voice in Zeke's knee kept me hooked until the very end. It's a great book about friendship and being brave.

Lojine
Lionheart2026

This book was a very comical and childish book (not in a bad way). It was very unlike many books that I have read before and was a very easy read especially due to the words on the pages being on the lesser side of things. This makes it very accessible to different people and also makes it clearer - mentally - as to what is going on. Also, the storyline was excessively funny with many peculiar names for people within the book such as Pelicarnasuss, alongside unusual themes such as the shield of a wombats but (an extremely abnormal topic). Overall, I think this book was an interesting read and although it was not my favourite book it was still a likeable book from my point of view.

Maryam
HGS Book Club

At first I thought I might not even like the book, but you know what they say, "Never Judge A Book By Its Cover". Literally! This was the most bizarre and funny book I have ever read. The characters were so bonkers and hilarious and the humour was brilliant. However I was a bit puzzled around about halfway through and had to reread it again so it made sense. Overall this was such a humorous book and I loved the concept of the book and this was such as an amazing read!

Afreen
Skipton Shadows

To summarise, this book is funny and happy at first, but after a few pages the reality check comes in. This also teaches you how “Nobodies” can find their voice and stand up for them self. Overall, the book was an 8/10 because it is mixed feelings like for the first 10 page it is humorous and happy but at the end it is kind of sad. Furthermore, Zeke proves that even a “lizard nobody” can became a hero… (sad music playing)

Ahad
TPS Carnegie Collective

really good book and funny! quite tense at times too 10/10 would reccomend

charlie
Rad readers

Very fun and slightly crazy. Good for younger readers.

Nicholas
St John’s Book Groups

I first want to start of by saying that this book was too young for my liking. I loved the bizarreness of it but at the same time I felt that it was also too unrealistic for what I usually read. My favourite part of the book was probably the when France got invaded by Pelicarnassus. Overall not my favourite. 6/10

sam w
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I felt seven again when I read this book. In a reading competition for young children, this was probably the only book I felt I would read as a child. This had that slight fever-dream element to it, and managed to mix real world with funny big animals with tiny foreign countries with giant robot pelicans. And yet I didn't feel exasperated at any point in the book. Not once did I feel like saying 'Woah, this is too much'. Patrick Ness didn't just write a children's book, he wrote a children's book right. I felt like I did reading Captain Underpants as a lad, and that was a good feeling.

Hanzalah
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

My favourite chapter was chapter 18 THE EMBARRASSING STORY OF FRANCE. I liked the fact at the beginning that wombats have armoured bottoms. My favourite characters are Zake, Alicia, Miel and Daniel because they are the main characters and they defeat Pelicarnassus’ giant robot pelican suit.

Elisabeth
Lincoln Readers

It was quite good but it was a little confusing in the middle.

Ted
Hayes Bookstops

This book was enjoyable although I was surprised because it was very different to other Patrick Ness books I have read. This one is light hearted and funny but it does have some serious ideas running through it such as bullying, prejudice about other people’s differences, and mental health. The book has some black and white illustrations, they are well drawn but on the whole I don’t think they added to the experience and the book would have worked without them. It tells the tale of Zeke, a monitor lizard. He and his friends, also monitor lizards, are chosen to be hall monitors at their school. The school is full of all kinds of animals, so the question they ask is, why are just the monitor lizards chosen to be monitors? I think that the writer is making readers think about issues of stereotyping. Zeke is insulted by a bully, Pelicarnassus, because of the fact that he’s been made a monitor. Zeke punches him and the conflict escalates over the plot of the book. There is a weird element where the country of France exists in real time on Zeke’s knee due to a family curse. I think this relates to his burdens – his dad has died, his mum is depressed, she stops eating and eventually has to go into hospital. At the end there is a showdown between Zeke and the pompous bully Pelicarnassus who turns out to be the son of a supervillain and has plenty of back up, including a giant robot pelican suit that he has built. He tries to destroy the school. However, Zeke discovers that he also has a lot of support that he doesn’t realise he had, both the other monitors and his new friend the blind hawk Miel. They defeat Pelicarnassus. It turns out that you can be strong enough without armour if you believe in yourself and have good friends. Overall, I thought the book had some good themes about friendship, standing up for yourself and that more people than you think have hidden struggles.

Magnus
The Perse Carnegians

The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody make me want to keep reading after the first chapter because it starts off with Zeke and his friend getting assigned as hall monitors so you want to keep reading to get to read the section where they actually are hall monitors. It is a fast paced book and it build up when Zeke has confrontations with the school bullies and every time he meets someone new their plans are more wild but sometimes there are sideplots suck as Zeke helping his grieving mum. The plot does not really make sense at the end as it is a bit wild and the topic changes massively quickly over the course of the book. The story is in third person and I think that's good because Zeke and his friends all talk around the same amount in the book so its reasonable. Zeke’s stories are being told more because he is the main character. The book doesn’t stand up to re-reading because it’s easy to remember and you notice all of the little details when you first read it.

Charles
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

It must have taken the most amazing, hilarious, creative genius to come up with this masterpiece of a novel! I picked this book up, and didn’t put it down again until I had finished it. Occasionally, I might look up from the book in fits of laughter to say something along the lines of “this lizard has France on his knee”, and to ponder how on Earth someone could have possibly thought up of such an incredibly original idea. Yet, it wasn’t only funny; The Chronicles Of A Lizard Nobody also touched on a few slightly more serious topics, but Patrick Ness introduced them in such a way that wouldn’t overwhelm or frighten a young child. This is, in my opinion, perfect for any age if you really want a good laugh. Basically, thank you, Patrick Ness, for writing such a wonderful book!!

Amelie
The Maynard School

It was quite an easy story to read and it seemed to be a normal children's book yet it had many meanings behind the story which made it interesting

Juwayria
Carnegivores

It was very intriguing and made me want to read more till the end and I really enjoyed how it explored friendship and bullying in a perspective of a lizard. A very funny book.

Zamin
BAS Reading Champions

This story was a funny, engaging and simple story about a lizard who feels out of place because he is larger than his friends. I really enjoyed how a book for children tackles issues about body shaming and making people feel different because of the way that they look. The book also introduces a character who is blind. I really like how the book doesn't just have characters that are what society would call normal and how everyone has their own way to shine and that their disability or abnormality can be a superpower that they can use to help others who feel or are treated as inferior. I loved how this was included and how it is teaching younger children to be nice to everyone no matter what they look like and to help those who cannot help themselves. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a light funny read that also has some depth if they choose to look for it.

Kate
Diary of a Wally Kid

I found this book rather slow to pick up. I wonder if I had read it when I was younger (I am in Year 9) then maybe I would have found it more exciting. I think that a good age bracket for this book might be 7-9 years and the humour may appeal more to them. On the whole, although it did not pique my interest, I would not dismiss it but would recommend it to a younger age group.

Alexandra
Shelf Indulgence by JCG

I thought it was a great book that clearly had lots of effort and imagination put into it. I loved how Patrick came up with the idea that Zeke should have a country on his knee. I also liked how Zeke had such supportive friends. I would definitely recommend it for kids in between 7 and 10.

Eva
Diary of a Wally Kid

When I first picked this book up, I thought, no way I’m going to like this. Then I flipped open the first page and it was A-W-E-S-O-M-E !!! I loved it! It had humour gushing from the pages and the bond of friendship running through it like veins of magic. Patrick Ness TOTALLY took me by surprise.

Sherlin
Crypt Bookworms

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a very humorous book that young readers would enjoy. It is all about how a lizard named Zeke and his friends at school face some fun and quirky characters along the way. This book is full of fun and creative ideas but also plays with ideas for older children, I would suggest this book to anyone from the age 9 to 11. After discussing this book as a group we all found that as older readers we found it funny but confusing with how new topics appear. We also found that some ideas in the book were not clear where they had originated from, but the book does not lose any fun or energy. The idea of the book would mainly appeal to younger children but includes themes that encourage older readers.

Orla
Page Wanderers

I found The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody to be an absolutely hilarious book. I personally couldn’t put it down once I started reading. This book was such a thrill to read and had me laughing the entire way through. Overall, I believe that it’s an absolutely brilliant read. 10/10 would recommend!

Caoimhe
Horsham BOok HUNTers

Reading Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody was a great use of my free time. I read this book during one of my hardest challenges in life and this helped me zone out. This book reminded me of the Loki books but just in third person it is a great book to read if you like the Loki books. Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody briefly covers a few life lessons like how you act like your parents and also even if someone is being rude or winding you up, violence is not the answer, but the main lessons of this is about bullying. The illustrations were amazing and really helped me get a good image in my head of what’s going on. I would recommend this book for people from year 4 and above.

Olly
Horsham BOok HUNTers

One of the best books I have read in my life! Such a funny story. Read it while laughing the whole time. I would highly recommend this to slow readers who like short stories and readers with a great sense of humor!

Kiril
Crypt Bookworms

The book was very interesting and quite funny. It was quite easy to understand and the storyline was fun

Amrita
Crypt Bookworms

Chronicles of a Lizard nobody in my opinion is a good book. The main character (Zeke) has France on his knee due to an incident when his great great great etc. grandfarther went to France. My favorite part is probably at the end when the pelican (whose name is too long to remember) invades the school and then gets a lazer shot at his robot. Overall, I'd give it an 8/10.

Elizabeth
Dunraven Carnegie

this book is soooooo funny and heartfelt. I love the epic characters and the hilarious story, but it is a bit confusing at times. Still, I like zeke's mum and her story and I think this is an overall good book and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is feeling up for an adventure filled with laughter! I would rate it an 8.5/10. Enjoy reading! - Nella

Nella
Dunraven Carnegie

It was very interesting, and a really good book if you like a non - fiction and fiction mix. It was also quite fun and makes you remember the days when you were in primary school. Personnaly, I think it was quite childish, and there were some puzzling aspects, like france being on a lizards knee or how (spoiler alert!) there are superpowers in a sash. It was nice to read though, and was enjoyable if your into relateable and funny books!

Sasha
St John’s Book Groups

It was a very fun and easy read, I enjoyed the themes of friendship and the illustrations were very fun. I think if I was a few years younger, I would have enjoyed it more as it was likely targeted at primary school children but overall very nice book.

Alisha C
LSST Library Shadowers

The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a funny book that addresses problems in a way that younger readers can understand. For example the black dog represented depression and it lingered around Zeke's house. In the end, the problem was solved but the black dog was still there hinting that bad feelings don't go away, they just get smaller. There were also some parts that were quite humorous like Principal Wombat's "bottom of steel" shielding Zeke and his friends from the falling pelican suit. However, on the topic of France, even though it was funny that Zeke had the whole country of France on his knee, I did not think that it fit with the storyline that much. This book had amazing illustrations and is perfect for children aged 7-10.

Jacob
Larkmead

It's a fantastic book, I like it because it is very exciting and unexpected, but also shares good messages, but also deals with mental problems like Zeke's mum having depression (known as the black dog). It is also interesting how the entire cast of characters are animals that have realistic qualities, like an eagle being blind. Overall, great read and I would recommend.

Thomas
Kingdown Wilts

1/5 The book was made for children and I get that but I don't think a Carnegie space should of been used on it because it is for 9 year olds and the youngest Carnegie reader is 12 it's just a bunch of nothing and I couldn't explain the book with out spoiling it because it is so random.

Patrick H
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

This book was amazing and I recommend in for younger readers. It has an amusing plot and and I really like the art style.

leon
Kingdown Wilts

Keira
Atlantic Awesome Readers

An Interesting book about a lizard called Zeke and a group of others who become Hall Monitors, having no idea what they will come across. They experience some difficulties and challenges, however resiliently overcome their problems. They courageously save their school from being destroyed by a megalomaniac pelican, with the help of friendship, and imagination! In my opinion, 'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' is a book with a great amount of imagination and creativity. However, the author could have included more depth of personality in some of the characters to make it more interesting to read. On a positive note, the illustrations are incredibly engaging and eye-catching. I would recommend this book for children ages 9+.

Aleeza
Carnegie Shadow Judges MEAC

This book is based for the younger years however the vocabulary I would aim at ages 11-12.The plot of the book was hard to follow and the idea of the 'black dog' metaphor of depression is a subtle way to hint at younger kids the way it consumes you. The overall book was a weird and random story however the end was sweet.

Lilah
Ousedale Olney

I thought the book was very good overall, and I liked how the students at the school were all separate animals, as to me it represents a diverse community, which is a very good thing to read about.

Connor
St Kaths

good book. i really like how the principle wombat has an armour butt and helps save the day. i enjoy how the hallway monitor is a monitor lizard. its an easy read and i would recommend it for ages 8+

Olivia
Stratton shadowers

I believe that The Chronicles of Lizard nobody is an excellent read as it is fast past thrilling and you can join in with Zeke's life where you can have a laugh and all ways want to turn the page. My favourite bit was when Zeke stood up for himself and and punched the bad guy however that led to some punishments and lost his privilege of a hall monitor.

Charlie
Bookwizards

I quite liked this book as it was quite funny and childish. It's about 3 friends going against the evil Pelicarnasus in their school. It's about friendship, working together but also bullying. I would recommend this book to anyone aged 7+.

Tarja
GreatB00ks

Chronicals of a Lizard Nobody has a storyline that is easy to follow and the use of lizards as the main characters (as lizards are "often misunderstood", as described in the book) is a great idea. The book also shows that anyone can stand up to bullies. I think the book is suitable for people age 7+ and I rate it 8.5/10

Freya
RGS Junior Book Club

I really liked this book .I would give this book a rating of 7/10. This is a really good book if you want something funny and easy to read. This book is all about friendship and about how bullies never win in the end. It has a strong meaning and is very enjoyable to read.

Sophie
RGS Junior Book Club

I really enjoyed reading this book because I thought that it was funny and easy to read. I also enjoyed this because I like where it was set at the school and I also like Zeke because he was a good character. I also liked Pelicanaruis the Pelica,n because I thought that he played a good 'bad guy'. Overall I would recommend it. I would rate this book 9/10.

David
RGS Junior Book Club

It was a good storyline but was a bit young. It was a good message about friendship and how people can change. They don't always have to be a bully and you can stand up to bullies. It will be very funny for younger readers. My rating for it: 5/10.

Alyssa
RGS Junior Book Club

This books has an easy storyline to follow. I particularly enjoyed the ways in which Zeke tried to defeat the bully. I would rate it 7/10. I would recommend it to children aged 7+ and if you like funny books you would enjoy it.

Drishti
RGS Junior Book Club

This book has a storyline that is easy to follow and is quite funny. I would recommend this book to children age 7+ and I give this book an 8.5/10 rating.

Freya
RGS Junior Book Club

Lizard Nobody was very enjoyable it was about how a ‘nobody’ stands up to a bully and it shows that there is a good side to everyone and even though your mother could be an international supervillain you can always change and be the better person . It is all so humorous because of France on his knee.[ Very good story on how it go on his knee]. Worth it great read!

Yusuf
Sherwood Shortlist Squad

My experience with the book was great I thought it was very exciting and playful. I felt as if I was in a trance when reading this book, it was so enticing it didn't even need illustration. Despite its playful dynamic, it still requires some thought put into the reading. Overall, with elements of magic animals and even some education, I really enjoyed The Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness.

Wesley
The SGS Book Bandits

The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is about Zeke and his friends Dan and Alicia. They are given the responsibility of being a Hall Moniter. But on their first day, Pelicarnassus - the school bully and 'superhero' according to him - decides to cause trouble. Zeke punches him in the beak. But his revenge is a complete overreaction. My favourite character is Miel because I think its cool that even though he's blind he can still know where everything is. I also think he's funny because he's always shouting. I would suggest this book to people who like a comedy because it's really funny.

Ailsa
Vista Academy Littleport

The chronicles of a lizard nobody is a very entertaining book, especially for younger readers. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it myself, especially the appropriately themed chapter titles and France! It was an uplifting book that focuses on themes of friendship and justice as well as bullying and how to respond. Overall it was a fun read that I would recommend to many people.

Isabel
NDHS Book Group

The book’s humour is loud, chaotic, and delightfully unpredictable. Ness fills the school with wombats, pelicans, hawks, and lizards, each bringing their own quirks to the story. The illustrations add even more energy, making the book feel almost like a comic in motion.

Ad-Din
SMMA BOOKWORMS

Me personally, I think this book is alrighty, but a bit childish and unrealistic. After all, you don't see a massive robot pelican outside every day. I would recommend this book to younger children because it feels very daft and unrealistic, and therefore not as enjoyable for older children. However, a reason I like this book is that it teaches valuable lessons and qualities, such as empathy, friendship, and mental health. Overall, I think this book is not too good or not too bad. I feel it is almost in the middle.

Hamzah S
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is an easy to read, fast paced book with unique characters and a funny story. As a thirteen year old, however, I did find it quite young, but it's important morals and ideas are still shown in more advanced books. A heartwarming and wonderfully bizarre read.

Jude
Carnegivores

I thought that this was an amazing whimsical story. It is aimed at younger children, but has more mature undertones and themes. It is very comical and I like how all the characters are animals. Personally, I felt like the pace was a bit too slow and the plot was confusing. However, I really like how the "black dog" represents Zeke's mum's depression. Overall, it was a fun read and 7-11 year olds would thoroughly enjoy this!

Annie
NDHS Book Group

I quite enjoyed reading this book, but at the start I was a bit confused. There was still some questions left unanswered that would have been nice to know like how the hall monitors could shoot lasers but good and fun wacky book all round . I liked it .

Conor
Bramcote College Library

I thought it was a very good book as it follows it has a lot of comical explanations, but it also refers to everyday life with some parts of bullying involved in the book but a happy ending returns in the end. There are tiny bits of bad language – so for age rating I would recommend it for 9+ and over. A really good book over all though 4.6 out of 5.

Theo
Chapter Chats

the book was a bit childish but nevertheless very fun to read. i think it would maybe be more enjoyable for a younger audience but still at my age i enjoyed it alot. it was about a young lizard at school with his friends becoming hallway monitors and representing their school by 'serving justice' to bullies and other bad stuff in school. they went on adventures within school and there were lots of laughs and really funny bits. i really reccomend

Rafael
SMMA BOOKWORMS

I liked the book because the humorous jokes and funny scenes, it talks about consequences, bullying, friendship and armoured wombat butts. It was a bit confusing because of the Pelicarnassus mother being a super villain and Zeke's knee being France, but it was really funny. My favourite character is Zeke and Daniel because both of them are funny together.

Giulio
Booky Wookies

Surina
Busy Bee Readers

miral
Busy Bee Readers

Agnes
Busy Bee Readers

This book felt typical of it's genre. Appriachiating it is on the younger scale of carniege novels, parts that were intended to be funny did'nt always seem funny. I don't read any books of it's genre, so I would'nt know what to compare it against. It seems the thing that makes me dislike it the most is my person taste for genre's.

Ernest
Team Car Park

The book Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is actually really fun and kind of different from other books I’ve read. It’s about this lizard who feels like he doesn’t really belong anywhere, which I think a lot of people can relate to, even if they’re not a lizard obviously. I liked it because it’s a bit silly sometimes but also has some deeper parts about friendship and figuring out who you are. The main character changes over time and gets more confident, which made me like him more. Some parts were kind of slow, and I got a bit bored once or twice, but overall I still wanted to keep reading. I would recommend it if you like weird but meaningful stories. Also I think the ending was pretty good and not too confusing, which is nice because sometimes books like this can be hard to understand.

Freddie
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

I enjoyed the book because it was funny and surreal. Especially that the main character Zeke has the actual country France on his knee and planes shrink down to fly into France. The story was weird and was about lots of little plots not one main storyline which was OK. My favourite character was Daniel who is a clouded monitor lizard and is best friends with the main character. I liked that Daniel was fun and silly. I liked when Principal Wombat saved Zeke and Pelicarnassus by using the bone on her posterior to block the piece of metal that was going to fall on them. One of the themes of the book is friendship because together Zeke and his friends help save the school. Another theme is animals letting the author do things like having a playground on the roof for birds because the playground wouldn’t make sense with real people.

Owen
The Fitzharrys Shadows

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is an interesting book about a lizard called Zeke who feels like he doesn’t fit in at school. He thinks he is a nobody and doesn’t fit in. So he tries to pretend like he is someone he’s not. I liked this book because it shows how it feels to be left out, which is something a lot of people can relate to. The characters are animals, which makes it fun to read, but it also talks about serious things like friendship and being yourself. Zeke changes a lot during the story, which made it more enjoyable. In conclusion, I think this is a good book with an important message about being yourself and not worrying too much about what others think. I would recommend it for young people to have as a light read.

Ryan
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

This book is about a lizard called Zeke who’s basically a “nobody” at school and works as a hall monitor. His job sounds boring, but loads of weird and funny stuff keeps happening around him. The story is really random in a good way, with lots of jokes and strange situations that make it entertaining. Patrick Ness writes it in a super funny and easy way to read, so it doesn’t feel like a long or hard book. It’s quite silly but also shows what it’s like to feel unnoticed or not important sometimes.

George
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

The Lizard Nobody is a fun book which is easy to read and has illustrations that can guide the reader if they are having trouble understanding the book or what is happening. However in the first chapter I found it somewhat hard to understand who is who and to find a difference between the 3 moniter lizards until chapter 3. But I believe that it is a great book and deserves this award.

Niall
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

I enjoyed the Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody but I thought it was aimed at a younger audience. I enjoyed how it explored friendships and the difficulties of standing out like Zeke did. I did find it quite surreal for almost all of the book and that there was a bit too much going on for a lot of the book. The main improvement that could be made is making the book longer so that you could see the different things that were going on in more detail and it wasn't as overwhelming. I liked how the big black dog symbolised Zeke's mum's depression but I think that more chapters could have been used to look at what was going on with Pellicarnasus as it was quite important but wasn't really mentioned. Overall I would recommend this book to ages 7+ and I would give it a 6.5/10

Robin.O
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Quirky, comic-like, reflective. I think this book is really interesting because it's quite reflective. By that, I mean there are clear bridges between those in society and their roles. For example - the lizards are looked down upon whereas the lions are seen as self-absorbed. I also think the book does this in a way that is really nice and subtle to reflect its age rating. Comic-like - I think it is a bit like a stereotypical hero-defeats-villain book, but tuned down to an extent because the main plot is very much "let's be heroes and defeat Peicarnassius" with the fact Pelicarnassius goes and finds a massive robot machine and attempts to destroy something, but then the heroes defeat him with super powers. Quirky - I like the way it's not all very normal as well, like the main character having France on his knee. This also makes it a lot more interesting and funny. I also think the metaphor of the "black dog" is nice because it shows the reader how it's guarding her and not something that she can change or choose. I interpreted it as some form of mental illness or grief. Overall, it's an interesting take on society and how disabilities, body type and authority are shown. Although, I think I personally would have liked this a lot more as a 7-year-old.

Ellie
WSFG Carnegies Shadowers

Hashim
Rockwood Reads

I enjoyed reading this book, although it was very clearly aimed for younger readers. I found lots of the humor in this book very random and some of it making absolutely no sense, but I really liked the metaphor that was used for depression (the black dog) and I generally liked the themes about mental health in this book. Overall, I rate this book a 4/5.

Bella
HAEC Books and Biscuits Carnegie Shadowers

This book was really funny, and I like how all the characters are animals!!

Emma
Dunraven

it was good

Erin
Redhill Readers

It was really fun and silly really enjoyable read, loved the illustrations and is great for all ages didn't think i would like it but it was great

Allie
Redhill Readers

I really liked this book and it shows kindness in all ways and it is really funny highly recommended

saharsh
Carmel Shadowers

I think you should read Chronicles Of A Lizard Nobody because it is about Principal Wombat making 3 lizards become hall monitors together and they go through funny adventures together. At the same time, this book smartly tackles emotional subjects such as bullying as there is a Pelican that represents a bully. Furthermore, I thoroughly enjoyed this book as it is also quite entertaining, and you may learn lots of important lessons during this book, such as being kind. Therefore, I think you should read this book and I rate this book a 9/10.

Manvi
Xenial Readers of Rushey Mead 2026

I think the Chronicles of a lizard Nobody is a very fun and relatable story to read for younger audiences as it is also really entertaining for reluctant readers because of the illustrations throughout the book. Even though it is quite humorous it also explores themes of bullying and anxiety in a light and less serious way as three monitor lizards are selected as hall monitors by Principle Wombat. I think people who love books with animals or books featured in school will love to read this story. Therefore, I recommend reading this book.

Vami
Xenial Readers of Rushey Mead 2026

I read Chronicles of a Lizard nobody and I thought it was a really fun and interesting book. It's about a lizard called Zeke who becomes a hall monitor and gets into loads of chaos with his friends and the school bully. One of the things I liked is that it was funny. The characters are animals but act like real people which makes it interesting and some of the main characters are Zeke, Alicia, Daniel, Miel, The Normans, principal Wombat and Pelicarnassus. I would recommend this to people of all ages.

Shivam
Xenial Readers of Rushey Mead 2026

The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is about a boy (Zeke) who is a lizard and has just joined a new school with other animals. Other students such as the Pelican find him weird and bully him. The book explores themes of this and friendships and humour as well. Overall i believe it's a good read for anyone as it has a variety of themes in it. It is also quite a relatable book because the characters experience similar emotions to us. Finally, i really like this book because there are a lot of funny moments in it.

Aaryan
Xenial Readers of Rushey Mead 2026

At the start of the story , I was unsure about the book due to its illustration .However,after I had read the book I was amazed by how the book had presented Zeke ,Daniel and Alicia . Another reason this book was interesting because their friendship and the way they communicated with each other was similar to students in real life .In addition, the way Zeke grown throughout the story is very inspiring.At the start of the story ,Zeke thinks of himself as a "nobody" who thinks pelicans are too popular /have too much power to stand up to and thinks that he doesn't have the confidence to stop his bully Pelicarnassus from bully himself and others due to how much power Pelicarnussus's father has over the school.However at the end of the story Zeke becomes more confident in himself and understands his friends better and responsibility.This book shows that even though someone else has more power than , the victim can't run away or make excuses to stand up for themselves without treating the bully like the victim.

Presnu
Xenial Readers of Rushey Mead 2026

The chronicles of a Lizard nobody is a short read fantasy story that mixes humour and deep emotions. It is written by the award winning novelist Patrick Ness who also wrote ' A Monster Calls ' . The illustrations are enhanced by Tim Miller and is aimed at 9-13 year olds but can easily appeal to older audiences . This story centres around Zeke and his lizard friends , Alicia and Daniel , who have joined a new school through the 'blending program'.Principal wombat , who has an armoured bum, appoints the 3 as hall monitors but this job flips their lives upside down as they begin to clash with a villainous pompous pelican , who is the son of an international supervillain. Zeke is forced to juggle his duties and home life , which includes a bizzare family curse ;France on his knee! I really enjoyed this story because Ness uses humour to address serious school topics like depression,bullying,neglect,poverty and mental health in a relatable way. I would recommend this book to fans of a Diary of a Wimpy Kid or The Bolds Overall , i would consider this a must buy for its absurd humour on every page , deep empathy and inclusivity.

Luckson
Xenial Readers of Rushey Mead 2026

I really enjoyed this book as it was quite a fun read,it had many jokes and hilarious moments. It also talked about mature themes in the book like mental health,fitting in and bullying making it easy for kids to learn in a friendly way. Also the pictures among the pages were really fun to see and helped you visualise. However I feel like this book is aimed at young kids but can still be enjoyable for people older than the 7-9 age range. Also the part where France appears on his knee does not really make sense and I would really enjoy it if he went into more depth about how France gets on Zeke's knee. But overall the story for me is engaging and personally kept me hooked with the story. Rating 9/10

Haroon
Xenial Readers of Rushey Mead 2026

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is a funny, strange and surprisingly thoughtful book that stands out for how it feels to be a teenager. The story is based around Zeke, who is quite literally a 'lizard nobody' at school. He gets ignored, overlooked and he feels as if he doesn't matter. But when weird things starts happening, Zeke gets pulled into an adventure that is both crazy, but meaningful. I liked this book because for me, I thought that it was engaging by mixing with doodles, lists and chaotic thoughts which makes you feel like you can see what goes on in Zeke's head. I think this book was a great read, that was a mix of humour weirdness and something I can relate to. It was an easy and entertaining read, but it stuck with me because of how the main characters feels.

Serena
Xenial Readers of Rushey Mead 2026

Chronicles of a lizard nobody is a fun read that has more depth than you might expect. It mixes humour with a few thoughtful moments that are easy to get into. Patrick Ness did a great job taking what sounds like a strange idea-" A lizard nobody."- and using it to talk about how you see your own worth. Even though the setup is odd, the main character's experience feels very human.The author's writing is very quick, funny and full of character, so it moves along easily. But there is also an emotional layer which makes it entertaining and a little touching at the same time. The book is creative without drowning you in details so it keeps the pace moving. The author doesn't make it more complicated than it needs to be. In the end, the book is about learning to see your own value. After I finished reading the book, it stayed in my mind for a while which says a lot about how Patrick Ness tells a story

Ravi
Xenial Readers of Rushey Mead 2026

The name of this book is called " Chronicles of a lizard nobody " and I personally really enjoyed reading it . It is very easy to read and extremely funny additionally , it uses easy vocabulary so people of all ages can read and enjoy ! One of my favourite parts of the book is that there is a small and cute illustration every now and again which makes reading the book more enjoyable. It also uses funny jokes about their species for example , how they are made hall monitors because they are monitor lizards.

Tamilnila
Xenial Readers of Rushey Mead 2026

I loved Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody, for its funny story and deeper theme of bullying. I thought that the book also teaches about discrimination. I think the book is great to teach younger readers about the issues of bullying and discrimination. Overall I enjoyed the book. (It's my favourite so far)

LeoL
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I really enjoyed this book. It was funny and exciting to read. I loved the humour, but would have preferred a bit more description of each characters. My favourite character was Miel, the hawk, as I liked how he had to use his senses as he was blind. Overall, it was a brilliant book, but I would have enjoyed it a bit more if there was more detail, and I could build a picture in my head

Joseph
Cake a Book Club

This book was very good I really like it, it is about a lizard named Zeke and his lizard friends Daniel and Alicia (Hall Monitors) try to save the school from a wanna-be-supervillain pelican called Pelicarnassus. This story is very hilarious but it is also brilliant as I can properly understand it. This book also was a pretty quick book to read

Tahmeed
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a funny and fast-moving story that feels like a rollercoaster, with lots of surprising and silly moments. The plot is a bit random at times, but that actually made it more exciting and it kept me interested. There isn’t a boring part, and something strange or funny was always happening. I enjoyed the themes of friendship, teamwork, and trying to fit in, which were easy to understand and relate to. The characters are weird but very funny. Zeke and Daniel are easy to like, and their friendship felt real to me. The other characters are more crazy but that added to the humour and made the story more entertaining. There are lots of conversations in the story which helped me to understand the different personalities of the characters. Overall, it’s a fun, silly, and enjoyable book, which I enjoyed reading.

Freddie
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

Despite being out of the age range for this book, I feel like I did learn some things. It has metaphors and situations that translate into real life, such as stereotypes and bullying. It's a good introduction for young children into how the world unfortunately is. While I myself would not recommend this book to others my age, I definitely would to any younger people I know.

Rida
HGS Book Club

Chronicles of a lizard nobody is about Zeke and his friends ( Daniel, Alicia and Miel ). The book is about Zeke's life and how everyone is a type of animal. The book was quite silly and I think would be better for younger people. However the book was good and funny and discussed hard topics to children such as bullying or depression. It was a good book overall and I enjoyed it a lot.

Samuel H
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

The opening of the book caused me to read on due to the immediate pull into a conversation. I felt interested into how the book would turn out. They later quickly had to overcome their first issue as hall monitors as everyone ignores them as they ask for hall passes, this sets a hectic start on their journey keeping the reader pulled into the book as this makes them wanting to find out how they will overcome new issues that arise. The pace feels fast and chaotic as problems start quickly which is very good for a younger person reading the book. The ending of the book has "boss fight" feel as Pelicarnassus builds a robot to attack the school. Its a great over the top ending of the book. Though the ending was not just all fighting as Zeke 's growth is also shown through the hardships that happen throughout the book.

Thor
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' is not a particularly good book. To me it feels like it is trying to do slapstick comedy like "my brothers famous bottom" while also tackling some more difficult issues with metaphors that are not subtly placed but may be confusing to younger readers - such as the black dog - I feel it does neither justice. Although there are some lines that are quite funny there is not enough plot or enough randomness for you to just accept it as a reader. Some of the plot points just straight up make no sense, such as France, because they are not adequately explained for me. A 2/10 book I am unlikely to recommend

Grace
KES Readers

This book was quite funny but certainly aimed at the younger age group. I feel this book is definitely something i would have read when i was, like, 9. The bullying felt a bit unrealistic (like how pellicarnassuss started picking on Zeke pretty much out of the blue). However, I did like how the author incorporated important topics in a way younger readers can understand, like the black dog for Zeke's mum's depression or the lizards sticking together because they were different and the odd ones out. Also, I found France being on Zeke's knee very funny. I did find that the teachers were, almost dumbified, with them not giving out proper punishment or the really mean teacher. However, I would still recommend to someone of the younger age group (7-10)

Emma
Ousedale Shadow Chasers

The book ''The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody'' is quite funny, and it talks about deep topics such as step-parents in a light-hearted, easy way. I really liked the pictures, that were not too frequent {Once a chapter} but also drawn in a nice style. The book doesn't get boring because its not too long and a lot happens. throughout. If I rated this out of five, I would give it a four, because I think its a bit too young for my age.

Anya
Carnegivores

I thought the book was an absolutely charming and hilarious read that managed to make me giggle on one page and feel deeply for the characters on the next! Patrick Ness has created a wonderfully weird world that tackles real-life issues with a light touch. A must-read for fans of animal stories!

Farwa
Reading Wizards

The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobobdy, published by Patrick Ness involves a very interesting storyline, in which everyone in the story are animals. The main protaganist of the story is a lizard call Zeke (I think that's how you spell it) who goes to an animal school and faces many challenges such as being picked on by some of the birds. However overall, it is a good, quick read, which can be finished within a day partly due to its large font and illustrations.

Ethan
Carnegivores

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a book about a young lizard in a school and a pelican trying to take over the school. I feel like this book is for younger readers maybe 7-10 years but I still enjoyed it. I quite liked the comic style and it was funny at some points. But I was really confused at the start because the lizard had the country of France on his knee, but eventually it explained why there was an entire country on his knee. Overall I liked the book but again I think if you’re 7-10 this will be a really good book for you.

Mason
The Fitzharrys Shadows

It had fun illustrations, was a nice light read, and I liked that it was really silly. I wasn’t sure i’d like it, but it ended up being really great.

Lorin
Carnegivores

Oliver
St David’s reading stars

I really enjoyed the wacky unpredictability of this book. It was a nice read with occasionally serious themes mix in with fun.

Euan
Ousedale Shadow Chasers

Zeke is a monitor lizard who thinks that he is nobody, because he is from the less wealthy side of town. This is helped by the school bully, Pelicarnassus, a pelican who is always talking about becoming the world's most evil supervillain. The two get into a fight, making Pelicarnassus angry and want to take revenge by invading France, which happens to be on Zeke's knee. I like this book because it is comical and the anthropomorphism of them being animals tries to make it out as a dystopian world where animals took over and (mostly) lived in peace with one another. Whilst there are still some parts that are too far fetched and fictional with lasers, I would still rate this book 4 stars out of 5.

Felix C
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I really liked this because this story is about Zeke and his lizard friends monitoring the hallway at their school. The book talks about their friendships and their new friend the hawk. Zeke faced challenges like being bullied by the school bully and helping his mum with her mental health. By the end of the book, Zeke found a way to become comfortable with himself and find his identity. This book was different because all the characters were animals, and I really liked that.

Adidev
The Fitzharrys Shadows

I quite liked this book because it showed all the different characters as animals helping to present real life problems like bullying and poverty. I also enjoyed how Zeke was just a hall monster with his friends (Alicia and Daniel) and thought that the school needed a hero to defeat the school villain but he made more friends and faced his fears and helped save the day. I would recommend this book to just about anyone because it is a fun read, but I think that younger children would enjoy this book the most.

Benjamin
Waddesdon Shadowers 26

I found "chronicles of a lizard nobody" a confusing read. For example, Zeke ( the main character) has "France on his knee" I really think this idea was quite difficult to wrap my head around. Not that France was literally on the lizards knee but the fact that it would randomly start talking however it was unclear that France was talking and who it actually was (as in was it the country or the president). The plot was fast moving and definitely aimed at younger readers despite having a theme of mental health.

Libby
Vista Academy Littleport

I love how this book is such a great mix of humour and the stress that is school. It reminds me of the popular book series diary of a wimpy kid which I also enjoy.

Sage
Lit Legends of Swavesey

It is a great book with an amazing and heartwarming plot that will keep you reading. It is about a lizard called Zeke (and his friends Alisha and Daniel) who have adventures together around their school. Personally, I really enjoyed it as it balanced very contrasting concepts very well, such as everyone being an animal to severe mental health problems. Overall I think it is a really good book.

Leo
Waddesdon Shadowers 26

I found this book hard to understand, but when I was into it, I found it really exciting. I like how this book can combine a school bully and a pelican who wants to take over the world!

Leo
KAEP Lions

Well, for a book with a 7+ age rating I thought too many long, complicated words were used, especially names. Concepts such as the 'Black dog' and tryrants are too much for the age range and the story was very jumpy and disjointed. I found it hard to keep track of who was what animal/insect. The overall story, if you could pick it out and understand it, was suited to the reading age as were the consequences and ending. I don't understand what this book was trying to be/do when the language was for an older age range and the story younger.

Debbie
Ousedale Olney

This was a hilarious wonderful story although it could have had been more adventurous but apart from that it was fabulous

Aurelia
Rainbeau Readers

It was an amazing, funny story full of fabulous jokes. Although there could have been a bit more excitement in the story, apart from that, it was very enjoyable.

Aurelia
Rainbeau Readers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is such a fun book. It juxtaposes themes like bullying and friendship- which I personally find fascinating. Unfortunately, I found the book to be for younger readers, hence I didn't find myself entirely engrossed. However, I wholeheartedly recommend Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody to readers aged 5-9 because (as previously stated) it is a very silly and fun book for children! -Molly.

Molly
Chiswick Carnegie

I thought this was a good book for exploring basics of mental health and things like friendship, but it's not been one of my favourite books on the list. I sometimes enjoyed how random it was - but overall I thought the book was a bit messy in terms of plot. The storyline was clear to follow, but I wasn't sure if it was meant to be serious or humorous, and I think it attempted to explore serious topics but ended up being lighthearted on the next page, which I think created a strange tone. Overall, I think this book was good, but not the best.

Iris
Skipton Shadows

Chronicles of a lizard nobody is a very interesting book. It is about how a lizard fits into school while facing many adversities. I feel that the main themes is discrimination and how he wants to fit in with the other animals. However, I feel the comedy well-balances the sadness and how you want to feel bad for the protagonist, especially when he is at home. This book makes you feel bad for an animal, when you would normally not think about it. Therefore, I feel that this is a very intriguing book, taking the reader on an emotional rollercoaster . This book is very unique and I definitely would recommend this book to people who have not found their types of books.

Suheyla
Chiswick Carnegie

Ciara
Busy Bee Readers

Emilia
Busy Bee Readers

AHC
Busy Bee Readers

Jess
Busy Bee Readers

Mel
Busy Bee Readers

The book was an interesting read with a fast-moving plot that kept me reading it which doesn’t normally happen as I don’t read often. It felt a bit overwhelming or crazy because so much was happening, although at times it was slightly confusing to follow everything. The story didn’t slow down much, which made it exciting but also a little hard to fully understand in parts. The themes in the book included I personally found them a bit too silly and over-humoured for my liking. It sometimes felt like it wasn’t taking itself seriously. The characters were one of the best parts. I liked the main characters, and the side characters, such as the loyal friend, the strange inventor, and the grumpy leader, were also enjoyable and added to the story well. I also liked the writing style. The short sentences made it easy to read, and the humour helped keep it fun.

Praneel
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

The main character of this book is a Monitor lizard called Zeke who lives in a small house with his Mother. It is a very whimsical and funny book and Zeke has France on his knee. the villain is a pelican called Pelicarnassus who hates them because Zeke punched him. there is a blind sentimental hawk called Miel. in the final fight between Pelicarnassus and Zeke and his friends Pelicarnassus has a giant pelican suit and the hall monitors become superheroes. Zeke's mother has mental issues and goes to hospital but after the fight she is better and everyone is happy. I really enjoyed this book and would give it a 10/10

Thomas F
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Quite a predictable storyline. A bit too fictional. Quite funny, very childish, not gripping

Motti
Belsize Stories

Praneel
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

This book is about a lizard called Zeke, who became a hall monitor. But then the school bully pelicanassus started bullied them so Zeke punched him in the beak. Ever since he started being more rude to him and his friends. Then at the end they have a big battle. It was a very nice happy ending. My favourite bit of the book is where Zeke saves him and Zeke didn’t know he was doing a good deed. I really did like this book and found it quite fun and easy to read.

Summer
Vista Academy Littleport

I felt this book was OK and nicely written but quite short and the character development was the whole story. Overall it was nice and had good themes but was short and to small to be really good

Henry D
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I found this book extremely humorous and with new additions to the plot around every corner. I especially loved how the author incorporates each animal's behaviour in real life into this book - e.g. the lions are very proud. My favourite character in the book is actually Miel because the way that he acts is very funny since he screams every word he says. However, I think that the main character, Zeke, fighting the main antagonist of this book, Pelicarnassus, should be longer because it shows how someone that isn't really that strong or talented defeats someone who is very devious and cunning with his friends. One thing that I would change in the book is the fact that France is on Zeke's knee, which seems a bit over-the-top and bizarre, but it still is something that is very comical. The age group that I would recommend this book to is about ages 7 - 10. Overall, this was a fun read.

Buddhan
The Perse Carnegians

Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is a strange and original story that mixes humour with deeper ideas. The writing is easy to follow, but the story itself is quite unusual. It explores identity and feeling different in a way that is sometimes confusing but also interesting. I liked it because of the humour, which appears in unexpected moments and helps balance the more serious parts of the story. There are imaginative and surreal sections that make the book stand out and keep it engaging. Overall, Lizard Nobody is a creative and thoughtful book with humour that makes it more enjoyable and memorable.

Iqra
Skipton Shadows

Charlie
Epsomians

In my opinion, Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is a fun and thoughtful story about trying to fit in while still being yourself. The main character, Zeke, is easy to like, and his struggles with friendship and identity feel real and relatable. Ness uses humour throughout the book, but also includes more serious moments that add depth to the story. It is an easy read, with the text being simple and clear. This makes it more enjoyable and easier to understand. Overall, the book has a balanced mixture of comedy and meaningful ideas about confidence and belonging.

Charlotte
The Perse Carnegians

At first I wasn't sure if I would like the book as it looked quite young and not my cup of tea. But I actually enjoyed it and had a good laugh reading it. The storyline was good and well thought out. I found it different to other books that I had read as it had pictures but that just made it more engaging and enjoyable. However I did think that it that it was quite young, and I probably wouldn't read again. I would recommend it to 7-11 year olds.

Amelia M
Skipton Shadows

Imagine a world where lizards go to school, your principal is a wombat and a fellow student is a pelican who wants to take over the world? That’s the world in which The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody exists! A vividly-imagined story, it follows Zeke the monitor lizard and his friends Daniel and Alicia through their life at school, starting when Principal Wombat makes them hall monitors. But with Pelicarnassus, the pelican with a dream of world domination, ready to make their lives miserable, how long will they keep their posts for? Along the way, they meet Miel, the hawk who talks loudly, and who is more than willing to help. Will the four friends defeat Pelicarnassus? Or will Pelicarnassus win the battle? A heartwarming story, about standing up for your friends and never giving up. I found this book a very entertaining read. It has a fun sense of humour and I loved the characters. If I had to choose a favourite, it would probably be Miel, the hawk, but I found all of them (even Pelicarnassus) fun and amusing. I liked the extra backstory of France on Zeke’s knee, and how you heard about it, and then had to wait a few chapters before you actually found out about the story of it. I think I liked it because I enjoyed the story even more when I was waiting in suspense to be told about something I was very curious about. It gripped me and made me want to read on! I would say that this book would be a good read for anyone over eight years old but if you’re not yet eight but quite a confident reader, then I’d say go ahead! It is hilariously funny and a lovely read for anyone. But if you’re not yet sure whether this book is for you, then let me ask you this question. Do you like comedy and funny books? If the answer is yes, then you’ll absolutely love this book! If the answer is no, then you never know! It might be that this is the perfect book to get you interested! Perfect for fans of David Walliams and books like Dork Diaries, I would recommend this book to anyone of any age. Summed up in one word: hilarious.

Erin
Larkmead

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a reflective and thought-provoking story that explores identity and self-worth. It shows how even someone who feels like no one notices them can have deep thoughts and experiences through its quiet and reflective narration. The writing is simple but works well for younger people. It's not full of action, but it gives you a new way of looking at things and how it makes you feel. People who like to think will like this book because it makes you think.

quentin
4Shadowers

In my opinion "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" is an extremely captivating book. It adds a sense of comedy and humour through having all the characters as animals and touches upon hard topics in a friendlier way. It also allows the reader to think about how they feel about certain themes and is creative in the way of portraying the different themes. I think the characters are interesting as they have some qualities people can relate to and some others which make them totally unique (such as France on Zeke's knee). The characters also challenge stereotypes and I think this really creates the moral of "be who you want to be". Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it made a big imprint on me.

Rose
Skipton Shadows

Bailey
Epsomians

It has a very Good Plot With France on Zeke's knee

Tarran
Bramcote College Library

This book was, well, crazy. But I love crazy fiction! Chronicles Of A Lizard Nobody was one of those books where its an easy plot but you do sometimes have to read over things a couple of times, because they're just so INSANE. Especially the bits about the main character, Zeke, having the entire nation of France minimized on his knee - and the story behind it - , and the ending itself. I enjoyed the fact that many elements of the book could be viewed as metaphors for issues that many children - and their families- face. For example, Zeke's mother having a black dog follow her around ever since his Father passed away could easily be seen as a metaphor for depression, and I think it's a good way to explain things like that to smaller children, because those children are the target audience. Overall, a good book! Loved the ending too. Have I mentioned I liked the ending before?

Klaudia J
Ousedale Shadow Chasers

This book was very young. I disliked the overall plot of the book because it didnt make a huge amount of sense. The plot was confusing, especially the story of how France actually ended up on his knee, as the author didnt go into a lot of detail on how his ancestor got cursed in the first place. I also disliked the fact that his friends could suposedly shoot fire from their sashes just because they were hall monitors. I believe that there was also a tiny bit of discrimination within the book, because the hall monitiors were all monitior lizards. I think the book would have been better if they had different animals as hall monitors as this would have promoted inclusivity more and show young children that anyone can do anything, and it does not depend on multiple factors, like where you come from or the colour of your skin. The book was definitely written for the age range that the rating said it was for and as a result it was not my cup of tea. It could have been made more appealing to older kids if they dive a bit deeper into the storyline more so that people can get some backround information. I also "zoned out" while reading it and did not pay the upmost attention to what was happening and who had done what. Overall, i would not recommend this book to someone unless they were very young themselves or had a younger sibling who they could read it to. Somebody who would enjoy this book would be a person who has a thing for childrens books and likes a clear at times but mainly confusing storyline. I would not be recommending this book to my friends for their own reading pleasure.

Phoebe
GreatB00ks

Lizard Nobody is a wonderful, amazing story about friendship and teamwork. The main character is a lizard who raises important questions about how to we are dealing with bullying or mistreatment of students. Although the story is very meaningful it is written in a funny and interesting to read format. The book is suitable for everyone who reads it (especially animal lovers).

Dmytro
The Shady Bookhounds

I cannot properly review this book as it is unsuitable to me. The story is better suited to a much younger audience.

Chloe
GreatB00ks

It was a great book and cleverly written with illustrations throughout that really added to the story

Ellie
GreatB00ks

I have awarded this book 4.5 out of 5! In summary, it is about a boy who is struggling and then his mum faints. Pelicanatus is jealous and attacks the boy. His friends then have to save the school and even France! This book was surprisingly good, as I didn't know what to expect from the front cover.

Elspeth
Montsaye Shadow Readers

I overall really enjoyed this book. In particular I liked how all the characters were animals which appeals more to a younger audience. I also liked how the book included important topics such as bullying and grief in an age appropriate way using metaphors. For example, the black dog that follows around Zekes mum, sometimes letting her get up and out of her room, sometimes not letting her do so. Another highlight of this book was the comedic aspects which overall made the book a quite nice and lighthearted read.

Basia
Thomas Tallis Reads

The book was chaotic, funny and gripping. Sure sometimes it seemed a bit immature (I did not know it was for 7+) but it also portrayed really vital struggles of life (like being bullied, or a loved one being ill) in a captivating way. The plot was very interesting and so peculiar, not like any other book I've ever read before. I guess I also enjoyed this as it reminded of me when I was 8 years old, and my only worry was what was for lunch. It brought back nostalgia of a carefree childhood. I really enjoyed it.

Anusha
KECHG Shadowers

I really did like this book it was fun,engaging and the illustrations were really funny. I would recommend it to maybe younger readers or people who just like fun silly books :)

Sarah
KECHG Shadowers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a book focusing on a young lizard boy and his willingness to stand up to bullies. I think this is a really surreal way to tell children to stand up to bullies as Patrick Ness uses animals instead of humans. Another part making it feel surreal is how Zeke has the entire nation of France on his knee. All things considered I would recommend it to a younger audience i.e. Y5-Y7 but it may not be something I suggest to anyone who is Y8+.

Franklin
The High Storrs Shadows

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is a warm, funny, and quietly powerful story about standing out, feeling unseen, and discovering your own worth. At its heart is Zeke, a timid young lizard who drifts through school convinced that no one really notices him. As the plot unfolds, a series of surprising and sometimes chaotic moments push him to step outside his comfort zone, slowly revealing a braver, more confident version of himself. Zeke is an easy character to root for. His worries about fitting in and his sense of invisibility feel incredibly real, echoing emotions many readers will recognise from their own lives. The book balances these tender themes with plenty of humour—Zeke’s and his friends awkward mishaps are both entertaining and endearing—and the lively illustrations bring extra personality and warmth to the story. The only part I found a little confusing was the whole “France on the knee” idea. At certain points, France starts talking, but it’s never entirely clear who is speaking—is it meant to be the president, or the country itself? It’s an odd detail, and the book doesn’t fully explain it. Still, if you simply accept it as one of the story’s quirky touches, as a younger reader (the book’s intended audience) likely would, it doesn’t get in the way of the overall enjoyment. What makes the novel especially memorable is its message. Beneath the laughs and light-hearted moments lies a reminder that even when you feel small or overlooked, your presence still matters. It’s a story that entertains while gently encouraging readers to see their own value.

Mrs Ward
BCS Book Squad

I thought that this book was extremely hilarious and I enjoyed the animal antics in the story. The story of France was definitely not true but funny anyway. The facts about the different creatures were informative and I liked the villain's character and actions. I really enjoyed this book. A great choice that I think has a good chance of winning.

Wilbur
NDHS Book Group

I liked this book but I didn't enjoy it that much as I found the story quite boring. It could be a good recommendation for young children but not people who want a more detailed book.

Hasan i
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

'Chronicles of Lizard Nobody' by Patrick Ness is the story of a lizard named Zeke and his struggles at school. Zeke's school only contains animals, such as his principal is a wombat and his bully is a pelican. The author tells the story of his life at school with lots of humour and funny moments. I really enjoyed this book as it 'random' (in a good way) and very funny. It's quite short and is easy to read.

Anna
4Shadowers

I liked the book but it was very weird . it is not my favourite but I would recommend to younger children and people with humour.

poppy
Cottingham High School

I enjoyed the book. I thought that it was quite crazy. It wasn't my favourite but i would recommend it to people that might like humour books or younger children.

Matilda
Cottingham High School

I was completely surprised by this book, I was expecting it to be an average children's book with no real story line. How wrong I was. The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody expressed key morals which helps the reader to feel in on the story, like standing up for people that matter or anyone can be a hero. At points when Zeke, the main character, was not being treated well, I felt the emotional hurt inside me, which the Author got spot on. The main bad guy was portrayed as a big, buff bad guy but secretly, after Zeke saves him, turns out to be nicer than anyone expected. It starts off well with lots of comedy including puns etc. The rhetorical questions for me struck me right in the thick of it as they made you feel like you were in the shoes of the characters. The main moral for me which stood out was the fact that the school's oddballs, who everyone would have expected the least from, could do anything they wanted and had the power to stand up to people who may not be the nicest. This empowerment really struck me to think that anyone could do anything, whereas before that may not have been the case.

Caleb
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

I thought that this book was interesting and exciting . I also felt that the author had done well to include a sense of humor along with a varied and interesting plot that kept you interested.

Pyrros
NDHS Book Group

I found chronicles of a lizard nobody quite interesting and its views and aspects on mental health and improving. The whole book is just a huge metaphor (at least the way I saw it) and I love it! Its a super easy read aswell.

Emily
Reading Wizards

Funny story that shows how everyone is equal no matter who they are and that you can overcome difficulties together.

Julia
Reepham Reads

There was a good amount of humour in this book however I thought the fact that Zeke had France on his knee was very weird. Overall, I would recommend it as a good read for younger audience around 9 years old. Rating 3/5.

Mark
Bassingbourn Readers

I enjoyed this book. I liked the whole plot with Zeke as he learns to face challenges (including his dad’s death in a way) and it all turns fine in the end. It is also extremely silly which I liked. I would recommend.

Eli S
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Zeke and his friends Daniel and Alicia become hall monitors at their school. But Zeke gets demoted from hall monitor because of Pelicarnassus who holds a grudge that gets very dangerous. I found this book quite confusing as the idea of animals going to school and being in a hierarchy because of what they are. I liked the part of the black dog representing grief and that it would fade over time but never really go. Overall I didn't really like this book and probably wouldn't recommend it.

Lydia
Larkmead

This is the story of Zeke, a lizard, and his best friends Daniel and Alice and his new friend Miel. One school day, Zeke gets in a fight with Pelicarnassus who vows to be his bully for ever and that Zeke will regret punching him. This story is about how Zeke copes a school when he thinks nobody likes or cares about him. Overall,it is funny and easy to read and full of irony and humour. The illustrations explains Zeke’s point of view about what happens at perticar moments.

Sibylle
4Shadowers

I found this book really weird and quite abstract. For me it was very boring and had no interesting characters or plot. I wouldn’t read anything like this ever. The only thing that I found vaguely interesting was the part about Zeke's mum and her black dog. I think the dog represents her depression, which is also mentioned in other parts of the story.

Rafferty
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

This book is a great short read filled with illustrations, humour, friendship and some deeper themes perfect for older kids. It has a range of unique characters and representation of disability and mental health. It was quite young for me so wasn’t as interesting but I liked getting to read it as I’m already a fan of this author.

Aoife
Carnegie Shadow Judges MEAC

Leopold
The Perse Carnegians

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a humorous story about a lizard named Zeke. Zeke has two lizard friends called Alicia and Daniel and they go to a school which animals attend and animals teach there. One day, Principal Wombat makes them hall monitors and whilst hall monitoring they meet an ambitious pelican named Pelicarnassus. Pelicarnassus is a bully and through out the story, frequently picks on Zeke for his size. Along with being humorous and having a bully pelican, this story touches on themes like racism and bullying and finding your hidden strengths. Patrick Ness hid these themes in a funny story for kids which I love because it introduces young kids to these themes early on. Another thing that made this book so great was the illustrations. The illustrations along side the text really immersed me into this world. In summary, this is a funny story for kids that introduces strong themes like racism and I’d recommend it for animal lovers anywhere!

Leopold
The Perse Carnegians

I found Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody to be an... interesting book which hid themes of poverty and depression under this child-like very simply written story. I found the fantasy idea of animals going to school as well as the style of the story quite emotionally disjointed from the serious topics hidden underneath. Overall, I thought it was a fine book for a younger age group, but I didn't feel it was serious enough for a Carnegie book and I didn't feel like the book cared about the more serious topics e.g. grief enough.

Benjamin R
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Chronicles of a lizard nobody was a confusing read. It is about Zeke, a monitor lizard, who has France on his knee and becomes a hall monitor. One reason that it was confusing was the title. The book was not written in the form of Zeke's diary and he never refered to himself as "lizard nobody", also the France on the knee thing was odd, as at certain points in the story, France starts talking, but it is never made clear who is talking- is it the president, or just the country itself? If you just accept these things though, as a younger reader (whom this book was aimed at) would, it becomes an amusing book, which covers deep topics such as depression, fat-shaming and disabilities. Overall it was an interesting book, and not so long that I got bored of it. 7/10

Elijah
Vista Academy Littleport

I found this book very random and silly but weirdly entertaining. I also felt like the book had a deeper meaning - with the black dog following Zeke's mum around possibly representing something else metaphorically. Overall, I do think this book is aimed more at younger readers but I still enjoyed it :)

Lyla
The Maynard School

Lizard Nobody is a good book aimed for children around 7 to 9. It follows a pretty classic stucture of children's books where there is a good guy and a bad guy and the good guy ends up winning. For it's purpose and aimed age group i think it is a exellent book with intresting characters and a funny narrative. I also liked the fact it had a few unforseen events that took us away from the perfect life scenario. All taken in acount it is a very enjoyable and simple read, great for young readers.

Eita
4Shadowers

I enjoyed this book's humour and animal friendships. I understand how some people might not like the childish text, but I personally appreciate how the author turned topics like depression and bullying into something easy to understand and fun at the same time. My rating would be 9/10.

Teni
Carmel Shadowers

cindy
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

I really enjoyed this book, because although it may seem simple due to its generic plot, hidden meanings of things that might appear normal or just a small addition of the story represent much larger problems, a really important example to me being the "black dog", which for me, calls out a deeper subject that younger audiences might not pay attention to, which is what makes the book even better, since its accessible to older and younger age groups without becoming boring or superficial.

Leonie
4Shadowers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is a touching and amusing book about standing out, feeling overlooked, and learning to believe in yourself. The story centres on Zeke, a shy lizard who often feels unimportant at school, as though nobody really notices him. As the story unfolds, he finds himself in unexpected moments that slowly help him become more courageous and self-assured. What I appreciated most about this novel is how easy it is to connect with Zeke. His struggles with fitting in and feeling invisible are very believable, and they reflect emotions that many readers may understand. The book also has plenty of comedy, especially through Zeke’s embarrassing and awkward experiences, and the illustrations add extra charm and energy to the story. I liked this book because it is not only enjoyable to read, but it also carries an important message. It reminds readers that even when they feel small or ignored, they still have value and significance.

Yasmine
4Shadowers

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness, is a funny and emotional story about being different and trying to find where you belong. The book follows Zeke, a quiet lizard who feels invisible at school and like a "nobody". However, things start to change when he ends up in situations that push him to be braver and more confident. What i liked most about this book is how relatable it can be for some people. Zeke's, feelings about fitting in and being unnoticed feels real, and it shows that its okay to be different or not the loudest person. I also enjoyed the humour, which comes from Zeke's akward situations and the illustrations make the story even funnier and more expressive. Overall, I enjoyed this book because it is both entertaining and meaningful. It teaches that even if you feel like a "nobody", you still matter and can be a "sombody".

Indira
4Shadowers

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. For a children's book, it tackles adult topics quite well in a way that makes sense and doesn't feel too out of place. Even though it was below my reading level, I enjoyed reading it and might have learnt a few things myself. Overall, it was a fun and inspiring read, even outside the target audience, and I would recommend it.

Omid
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I really enjoyed Lizard Nobody as it reminds me of school life and about friendship and sticking up for one another even if it means getting told of and being bullied. I also like how in the middle of the book it emphasizes that sharing a problem makes it feel a lot lighter when he tells his friend's mum about his mum and the black dog when she goes to hospital and how feels a lot better after as he can now get support. But I think it is also brilliant that Patrick Ness still keeps it a fun and interesting story by adding villains and cool surprises.

James
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I really enjoyed this book even though as someone who is older than the intended audience some scenes were a little bit cringey/predictable. I liked how it incorporated some difficult/commonly avoided topics to the fun/silly idea of the book, such as fat shaming, prejudice against social status, disabilities, neurodivergence and imperfect families (single parents, lgbt parents, etc…). I personally really liked Miel’s character because I thought he was quite funny and I also liked Daniel’s carefree personality. I think this is just because I’m older but the whole France thing was kind of confusing and I felt it was unnecessary and also the lasers. But, I liked how the author tied in facts from the animals and put in tiny details to how the characters do things or for example, their houses. In summary, I think this is a good book for the intended audience.

Hannah
Norwich High Bookworms

I have to be honest, I didn't really like this book. I found it childish, and aimed at readers younger than me. However, I thought Ness' use of the black dog metaphor was very clever, and I congratulate him on that, but not much else in this book.

Clara
Bassingbourn Readers

I found Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody to be a complete waste of my time; how did this even reach the longlist? There isn't really much to say about it but one of the main reasons I disliked this book was because it contained childish ideas and was clearly aimed at a younger audience (7-9 possibly). A school filled with animals who get superpowers and a monitor lizard with France on its knee? Come on. I just can't understand how this reached the shortlist over so many other great books. The second reason I disliked Chronicles of a lizard Nobody was because there were meant to be some deeper meanings which were ruined by the immaturity of the book, such as the black dog showing Zeke's mom's struggle with depression which eventually calms down to show her success in the matter and how Zeke copes with the world when his home life is collapsing. The author has clearly tried to implement these things in a light and funny way but the comedy/chaos part is laid on far too thick which doesn't allow these representations to take root or have any meaning at all because too much focus is put on the plot of a robot pelican destroying a school. This led to the book being stuck in the middle of being adult with links to grief and depression and being childish with evil robot animals destroying an animal school. As well as this, I could not connect with any of the characters as they were not human. Overall, the book just felt hollow because it was stuck in the middle of being adult and childish and I could not connect with any of the characters. Plot:1/10 Characters:2/10 Setting:2/10 Style:2/10 Total:7/40

Sevan C
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

My initial expectations for the book were subverted very quickly, but I really enjoyed it. Overall the plot was an emotional rollercoaster and the very absurd and unpredictable humour paired with the deep undertones worked; I felt as though neither ruined the effect of the other. The illustrations were nice and although the book is directly more for a younger audience than me, it was still a really good experience.

Elsie
St Kaths

This was a book of two parts: a comic, violent and arguably clichéd hero/villain (but everyone’s friends by the end) story, and a tender, sombre reflection on familial grief and absent parents. This allowed each sector of the story to be fully appreciated, without vastly intruding on the other, and can be positioned as an innovative method of making deep themes accessible to all children. Despite Ness’ trademark nuances in the friendships and hero/villain storyline, stylistically I would have preferred greater interaction between school and home, perhaps increasingly using friendships as a bridge; I found that the reader doesn’t really know how to feel due to the whiplash between surreal and heartfelt! Nonetheless, it was a very funny, impactful book - you can enjoy the battle scenes whilst appreciating the underlying themes.

Eve
St Kaths

I thought that this book was a very interesting and light hearted read with quite a quick and easy pace to follow as well as having some emotional scenes and parts that made you laugh. I especially enjoyed this book because it had a good plot that took and drastic turn and overall made the story more interesting to read. And very good characters that made the story more interesting to read as well creating a certain feeling when reading the books because certain actions from certain people changed the dynamics of the book make it no feel dull at all. I especially liked Miel who I thought was a very funny and odd character who turned out to became one Zekes friends at the end and helping them in the end battle between them and Pelicarnassus . I would highly recommend this book to someone who enjoys reading easy and light hearted books and I can’t wait for the sequel.

Jack
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

Although The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody might be aimed at a younger age group and is a funny story including animal characters (for example, a pelican bully with egret sidekicks!) and cartoon illustrations, there is a hidden subtext which elevates the whole story into a deeper meaning. Some parts of this book are really quite strange and definitely fictional - like how the main character, Zeke, has the actual country of France located on his knee! - but other sections of the story can relate to thousands of people across the world. An example of this is how Zeke gets on the bus to school from the ‘poorer part of town’ leading to many students picking on him because of his economic background, or how he is socially separated from other groups because he is a monitor lizard (shown in the first few chapters when he comments on his principal’s choosing of the Hall Monitors, “I still think it’s because we’re monitor lizards”). Overall, I really enjoyed this book and like how the author, Ness, has crafted it, making it suitable for young children and older readers. I rate The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody 6/10!

Mae
Helkats & Hardbacks

This book was very enjoyable, particularly since I underestimated how good it would be. I could see a plot and structure and at times it was funny. It also featured mental health and depression awareness (black dog). The story was well worded and I wouldn’t recommend it as much for 13+ like me, but 7-11 would enjoy it more than I did.

Isla
Ousedale Shadow Chasers

Although written for a younger audience (around age 8), this book has a strong message about friendship and belonging. It shows how unique aspects of ourselves, even those we may feel unsure about, can positively impact others and help form meaningful relationships. I found the style of writing simple and easy to follow, with humour and illustrations that kept the story engaging. I particularly liked that the characters are portrayed as animals rather than humans, as it added a witty tone and made the story more interesting. My favourite character is definitely Principal Wombat! The author also included metaphors such as the “black dog” which could represent the mother’s depression. While this adds depth, it may be harder for younger readers to fully understand. Overall, this was a simple and fun read while containing meaningful messages.

Viktoria
Shelf Indulgence by JCG

To me, the book "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" was an amusing, simple read, with a very much children-based setting and directed for - once again - children, perhaps much of the time with a younger age. Looking into the plot, personally, I find it unbelievable, and if anything, a touch too fantastical, turning a regular cold-hearted bully into a fully blown supervillain. Furthermore, certain aspects are perhaps unrealistic and far-fetched, making the reader lose touch with the characters Zeke, Daniel and others. Building on this, all characters were developed and expanded on beautifully, except for the brief touch on the black dog - we are unsure whether it is a pet of the family, a stepfather for Zeke or even anything in between; making it deeply troubling and confusing about the "black dog." Building on this story for a sequel, hopefully, we will see more about this once vaguely touched character.

Ryan
The Perse Carnegians

This book felt very much aimed at a 7-9 audience or for those who particularly love stories about anthropomorphic animals. At the age of 12, I found it did not really appeal to me because the improbability of it all was just a step too far. The characters felt difficult to relate to, and some of the names felt unnecessarily complex for the target audience. Having read “A Monster Calls” by the same author, I had high hopes for this book. However, this story felt like a huge departure from the style I had previously enjoyed. I would give this book 2 scores: for younger children- 3/5, and for an older audience- 1/5

Lottie
Beacon Thursday Book Club

This book is very funny and interesting. One of my favourite parts was when the monitor lizard earns his job back after losing it. I would recommend this book to people who likes stories.

Erin
Folkestone Academy Readers

It was a reasonable book. It was funny but the France on Zeke’s knee thing didn’t really make sense. I would recommend it to a friend who likes silly humour.

Rose
Vista Academy Littleport

This book is about a lizard called Zeke. He tells most of his story set at his school with his friends Daniel, Miel and Alicia. Unfortunately, his mum isn’t particularly well and Zeke also has to try and survive the school bully, Pelicanicaruss. Zeke learns that although he has France on his knee and is a much bigger lizard than his friends, he can still change how people are towards him. The main character in this story is Zeke. I thought his character was quite funny. I liked Daniel, Alicia and Miel’s characters as they always looked out for Zeke and were all each loyal friends. I don’t think I had a favourite character but if I had to choose it would probably be Alicia. I enjoyed this book. I thought it was a good light-hearted, humorous and easy read . At some points in the book I did think it dragged and did not need some of it but overall it was a good book.

Priya
HHS 2026

I think that Chronicles of a lizard nobody is an amazing book for all readers young and old although it may seem its for children it carries wisdom for all and it shows lots of adult things in interesting ways such as the "black dog" being a representation of depression and how it can seem as more understanding for children but in hind sight it is a very very VERY funny adventure

Zakir
Cleeve Carnegie

When I first started reading this book I was very confused by the message it was trying to get across to the reader, but now having read the book fully I can see the small details and metaphors that were really cleverly slipped into the plot. All the different animals initially seemed unnecessary but now I see how they were used to show stereotyping of different groups of people and how although they were all at the same school, their perspectives were different because of their background. The metaphor of the black dog was really interesting; it showed how people struggle to live through loss and how it can affect the environment around them. The book was an interesting one-time-read but I probably wouldn’t read it again.

Philippa
Shelf Indulgence by JCG

This book was ok. I didn’t particularly enjoy it but I also didn’t not enjoy it. I found this book really odd as it’s about lots of different animals attending the same school and there's a lizard with France on his knee, which I, personally, found a bit weird. However, I liked how the author showed us that the mum is depressed with a black dog following her everywhere. The book was a very easy read and I would recommend it to younger readers aged 7-10 years as the theme would appeal to this age group plus the book has lots of pictures.

Indi
Shelf Indulgence by JCG

I thought this was a sweet, short book, that is probably for a younger age-group. It was well-meaning and had heart-warming themes of friendship and family love, but I did find some parts quite random that missed the mark a bit. For example, the sub-plot about the entire nation of France being on a lizard's knee was odd and seemed unnecessary, and the super-villain that everybody feared was equally strange. I did enjoy that the characters were animals- it made the book fun and lively! Overall, I would say that this is a cute book, but not something that I would have read voluntarily.

Jackie
The Perse Carnegians

A entertaining book, though I found it to be quite random in some aspects such as the involvement of France on a lizards knee. I liked the subtle inclusion of some more mature aspects and themes such as depression with the Mother, making it seem more lighthearted and summarizing it in a really well and thought out way. However, the story didn't seem to include a really well structured plot that i found a bit confusing to read. But as a whole the book was a great read.

Alisha (O)
LSST Library Shadowers

The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is an interesting yet also ridiculous book which I enjoyed reading! This book is about a lizard called Zeke, who doesn’t feel like he is somebody that matters or belongs, except for when he is surrounded by his friends at school. In the beginning, this makes me feel sad and sorry for him because there are also a lot of other difficult challenges in his life, such as being bullied and his mum being ill. The silly parts of the book did well to combat the sadness of these topics. I really like how the author, despite tackling some very serious issues such as bullying, has made these feelings easy to relate to and understand. This makes me have empathy for Zeke and towards the end of the book, it made me happy to see him find his persona and feel more confident about himself. Overall, I would strongly recommend this book to others and I think it is actually suitable for all age groups (even adults!) because Ness keeps it light with jokes and silliness to tackle serious subjects in a lighthearted manner.

Kal
Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

I don’t say this lightly… but this might be one of the most baffling books I’ve read in a long time. I picked up Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody because of the Carnegies. Every year I trust that shortlist. Every year I find something brilliant. And then… there’s always one. This is it. Look - I understand what Patrick Ness is trying to do. There are threads here about grief, about feeling like an outsider, about navigating a world that doesn’t quite make sense when your home life is falling apart. Those are important themes. Necessary ones. But the execution? Completely lost me. The tone is chaotic in a way that never settles. It swings from ridiculous, almost slapstick absurdity - animals in school, surreal nonsense, France located on character's knee (???) - into genuinely heavy territory like depression… and instead of deepening the story, it just makes everything feel disjointed. I kept waiting for the emotional core to surface. For something to anchor it. It never came. And that’s the biggest issue. I didn’t feel anything real. No weight. No connection. Just confusion and, at times, genuine irritation. There’s a kind of “cleverness” here that feels like it’s trying very hard to be meaningful, but without actually earning it. And for younger readers especially - I honestly don’t know how this would land. It’s too strange to be accessible, too shallow to be profound. Which leaves it in a very odd place. Flat. messy. and, at times, just… dumb. And that’s frustrating, because I know what this author can do. A Monster Calls is extraordinary. This feels like the complete opposite end of that spectrum. 1 star. One of those rare reads where I finished it and just thought… what on earth was that?

Mrs Naden
Lostock High Readers

This is an amazing book for anyone who is interested in developing their reading, while also being able to read along with the pictures. For me, however, I didn't find it too interesting as it didn't appeal to my demographic, such that it makes the book seem boring and slow. Despite this, its a quick read for anyone interested in this genre, hence it's a book I would recommend to somebody interested in this metaphorical piece of literature.

Kaleb
Folkestone Academy Readers

‘Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody’ by Patrick Ness is a book about friendship and standing up for what you believe in, no matter what. It tells the story of Zeke as he finds out what kind of person, well, lizard, he wants to be, and the choices he has to make to find out. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes stories that cover more serious themes in a lighthearted way.

Isolde
HHS 2026

I was pleasantly surprised by this book and I realise now at first thought I really underestimated it. It was beautifully written to show a powerful concept in a simple way and could be touching to many who have experienced bullying due to them being “ different”. As a very big reader I found the read a bit too easy personally but I love that this author has made this book assessable to lots of people who may find books a challenge. I think Patrick Ness has voiced this concern in a new and interesting way. However I did find the fact that France was on the character's knee a little peculiar. I did enjoy this read , even though it was a quick one. Thank you

Seren
The SBSJs

The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a story about a monitor lizard called Zeke and his friends Daniel and Alissa. There is a school bully – called Pelicarnassus – a very loud hawk and a school principal with an armored butt! I like this book because it is funny, witty and about friendship and family. I would recommend it to anybody who likes to have a good laugh! My favourite character is Daniel because he is funny, kind, and has everything I would wish for in a friend. My favourite part of the story is the tale of France and Zeke’s knee – but I won’t spoil it for anyone who hasn’t read the book yet. I would definitely read this book again!

Catelyn P
Vista Academy Littleport

It is not really my type of book.I didn't really like it that much but I'm sure other people will like it.

Hollie
St Kaths

This book is about a monitor lizard and his friendships, along with one of his enemies making life a bit difficult for him. He also needed to figure out who he was and/or wanted to be. I particularly liked the drawings throughout the book; it brings life to the pages and a good vision in your mind. The ending was very sweet and it made me quite emotional. In conclusion, I think that this is a very well written book with all of it's diversity and friendship based. I think it is definitely a good read for young children

Eiligh
Vista Academy Littleport

Can you just imagine a school that has animals as students? Well I can’t! But once I read this book the thought would not leave my head! The main theme of this book is that Larry has just become a hall monitor but then very soon after he loses it to an animal called palicarnaussas who is the villain. Ever since then he wanted his job back and is doing everything to get it! I found this book very comical and enjoyable. It showed a range of different emotions throughout it! The author wanted to make us feel like this book was unrealistic so then it was very comical ( this includes France in Larry’s kneecap)! An example of a very funny part in the story was when the stock lady wrote no children allowed on a sign! What the author did very well in the book was show a range of different times throughout the story. I also think the author wanted to make the audience feel like this book was meant to be enjoyed as a fun book. One thing the author could have improved on was making the dramatic end hold out a bit longer. I would recommend this book to people under the age of 10 and specifically who enjoy animals and comedy. But on the other hand I would not say this is a good book for the writing shortlist as the book feels aimed for more younger people. Overall I would give this book a 6 out of 10.

Milo T
Larkmead

This book was... interesting. It was strange when I started it, as it was a world where the animals behaved as humans but on earth, rather than some fantasy land and France was on the main characters knee. From there it was kind of funny with pelicarnassus and his robot suit destroying the school. It was quite a quick read, and things moved on quickly but I didn't particularly enjoy it as it was quite simply written. I would give this book a 4.5/10

Edward M
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

It was a really nice book to read as it was easy to read and finish,it's an awesome book which I feel I could recommend to anyone and they would enjoy it.

Jenni
Reading Wizards

While this book seemed childish from the cover, I found it a very fast paced and jolly read. The themes of school made it very relatable and I really enjoyed this book. This book flew past my expectations!

Thomas
Forest Hill Library

I found this book hilarious and a bit strange in some parts but I do sort of suggest this book to others.

Ella
St Kaths

This book was quite good. It had strong characters and it had some metaphors which I thought were put across in a way even 8 year olds can understand. It was very childlike and it was quite nice to read. Would recommend for 7-10 year olds. It is also amazingly funny.

Alyss
Ousedale Shadow Chasers

I think it is a good basis of a book but definitely aimed for 6-8 year olds and not my age. I understand why someone would like it but i personally don't.

Willow
CGS CAKE Club

Lizard Nobody was interesting and outstanding. it was kind of strange when Daniel talks about the butt armour but it was also hilarious and i really like it. I could almost see the animals walking around the school. Although it seems a book for younger people it became easy to recognise the important themes in the book

Isabel
St David’s reading stars

In my opinion, chronicles of a lizard nobody was really interesting and funny. It became easy to forget they were animals and enjoy the story

Lowenna
St David’s reading stars

I really loved this book; I kept reading it and couldn't keep my eyes off it. It was AMAZING. I highly recommend this book. I loved the characters; Principal Wombat was my favourite.

Orinope
St Cath’s Shadowing

It was such a good book. It was about a lizard called Zeke and he had France on his knee and was a hall monitor and he got bullied by Pelicarnassus because Zeke punched Pelicarnassus in the face.

Maulik Linesh
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I enjoyed this book because there was a range of things happening all at once. The dialogue was sharp, and it made it easier to understand the book overall. As an overall review I think the book was interesting.

Sophie
St Cath’s Shadowing

I belived that this book, although it was aimed at a younger audiance, was a good read with comical aspects and child-aimed humor. It was an intresting read however I belive others are better.

Charlotte
St Kaths

Lizard nobody was interesting to say the least. The mix of personalities, serious background themes, and unexpected moments created the perfect mix of humour and heart. This book is surprisingly relatable, despite the France story, and the metaphors will be well received.

Oliver
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

The first part of the book was quite interesting but not the most interesting so that I would immediately be hooked, however I was invested in the story by the first 50 pages because of the comedy and the interesting representations of insecurity, depression and also by the general idea and plot. The world, in a practical sense, is obviously very unbelievable, but it works really well to depict the idea of stereotypes surrounding different races or classes (or in this case, species). The pacing was good, easy to read and flowed very naturally - I didn't realise I was finished until I put the book down and picked up my pen to write this review. The idea and theme behind the story and its depictions is definitely something I haven't seen before and I don't think I will see this way of representation again. The themes were well-explored in the small amount of pages there were and I found it having a large impact on my thoughts on metaphors. I really liked the idea of the black dog showing depression and I absolutely loved the ending in which Zeke comes home from school to see his mum waiting for him instead of sitting in her bedroom. I think it really brings the relationship between those two full circle. Talking about relationships, I really enjoyed how the characters all interacted with one another and the use of comedy to make the book more fun to read for children and teenagers alike. The small cast of main characters (Zeke, Daniel, Alicia, and Miel) made the story much easier to read than if it had more characters and we needed to delve into each of their stories. I loved the way the main trio of Zeke, Daniel and Alicia were shown to have an equal relationship rather two of them being closer to each other than the other and the way that all of them depended on each other in a way. Throughout the story, I also liked how Zeke's thought process began to challenge the idea of stereotypes surrounding species (mentioned before) and how although everyone shares some things in common, everyone is their own individual and have their own characteristics. The characters definitely feel very real - their interactions really jumped out of the page! The use of comedy in the dialogue and overall writing style was also a good idea to keep in line with the unusual, more child-like representations of heavier themes. Aimed more towards children aged 8 - 12, the humorous and informal style kept the tone playful yet thought-provoking in a way I didn't expect it to be. Overall, a very compelling read indeed.

Roosha
The Perse Carnegians

I thought that Chronicles of a lizard nobody was a funny book with deeper meanings behind it that older readers would understand. I liked the themes of friendship and would recommend to any age as I think older children would understand some parts of the book better than younger children but also younger children would enjoy the funny plot.

Annie
The Maynard School

This is a hilariously funny book that features a monitor lizard called Zeke, a attitudinal pony, a principal with an armoured bottom, a bully with two sidekicks and much, much more. Zeke's home life is much more chaotic. His father has died, France has emigrated to his left knee and his mother is followed constantly by a big black dog that controls her life and wont let her do any of the normal mum things. (The black dog is a clever metaphor for depression as younger readers might find the concept of depression difficult to picture). I would rate this book a 6/10 as it is funny, but slightly young for me.

Sophia
The Shady Bookhounds

I really enjoyed this book because the illustrations are very cute, and I loved seeing the friendship between Zeke, Alicia and Daniel. Zeke is a very kind character, and he’s the type of friend who will always help you and stand up for you if someone is mean. However, sometimes he doesn’t handle things in the best way.

Heidy
Rainbeau Readers

I really enjoyed the book because it is really funny. I really like the park where Zeke talked about the story of France and his knee.

KATE
Rainbeau Readers

In my opinion, Chronicles Of a Lizard Nobody is a very interesting and funny book, with and interesting plot that I won’t spoil, a plethora of characters and… France? Overall, this book is amazing and I highly recommend it to everyone from ages 5-14. 9.5/10 Peter Cranwell

Peter
Ink & Insight

It was very emotional as it was about a lizard who had a very hard life but it shows that there is always hope and good friend for you. Because of this, I really like the book.

gracious
Baxter Booklighters

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is one of the funniest books ever. Patrick Ness has changed a story of children getting bullied and standing up for themselves to lizards with superpowers fighting an evil pelican in a robot. The pure wackiness of this book is overwhelming. It is a bundle of laughs filled with charm and truly is just bonkers!

Aiden
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Nice book overall, with brilliant suspense in some places, making this a good book for younger readers, though as it follows Zeke through his life as a hall monitor, it feels rather slow to progress. This isn't a personal favourite, though I would happily recommend this to someone younger than me.

Alfie
Reepham Reads

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a hilarious, entertaining story of a peach-throated monitor who is made a hall MONITOR and has to (unfortunately) meet nasty Pelicarnassus whose mum's name is one to live up to (she's a supervillain...). He learns a lot from people around him and encounters some real moral concepts. I would recommend this story to any age group who can understand and cope with the minor violence included. It pleases and makes you smile even if you didn't think you were in the age category. I really enjoyed it and think it was a great choice to be added to the list.

Ruben
Euro Champs

A bit of a slow read not my type of book but I would still recommend it to younger readers

Neave
Carmel Shadowers

I have mixed feelings about this book. Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody follows the story of Zeke, who becomes a hall monitor with his friends and has to stop a school bully from destroying the school. This book is all so very funny with lines like "can we really use our buts as armour". At first the fact that the characters were animals made me think it was going to be a bit young for me. But then as I read I couldn’t put it down

Maya
St David’s reading stars

I like it because it is fun and had funny things in the story. i love this book i wish i had it. I wasn’t sure at first but then as the story progresses it got exciting

Millie-Rose
St David’s reading stars

MR watts showed us this book and we really like it ! i really like the humour and the new fact about wombat. But also I loved the actual story. We laughed aloud at parts but also the story kept us wondering how it was going to end

Aria
St David’s reading stars

I was surprised by that all the people was animals, but in a way that made the story more readable. It was funny but also serious. A great read

Annabella
St David’s reading stars

An amazing book! Filled with laughter and fun this is the perfect book. Follow the story of Zeke and friends -Daniel and Alicia- through their highs and lows. In the end will Zeke be able to defeat Pelicarnassus?

Melissa
Helkats & Hardbacks

I loved this book! It contains so much humour whilst dealing with heavy themes like bullying and parental illness. What a great idea to portray all the characters as quirky, unusual animals. Excellent!

Bibliophile
Angmering Book Lovers 4 Life

A short read, I think it was for children who were younger that me, the ending was very bizarre, lizards getting superpowers? Anyway, one thing I did like is the hidden meanings e.g the black dog(depression). I would probably rate this a 4/10

Billy C
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I have mixed feelings about this book. Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody follows the story of Zeke, who becomes a hall monitor with his friends and has to stop a school bully from destroying the school. I liked it in the sense that it had some deeper meanings about the story - standing up for yourself and themes of close friendship. Some parts were quite funny and my favourite character was Miel because he didn't let his sight stop him from doing anything. Zeke also never let the bully Pelicarnassus win and always helped his friends when they needed. However I did find some parts quite confusing, like how conversations were interrupted by a back story and then just carried on from where they left off. I also didn't really understand why France was on Zeke's knee and I think it was aimed at quite young readers, but overall I found this a good book - it portrayed how you should always believe in yourself and I would recommend to any younger person for a good read.

Emma
Vista Academy Littleport

Zeke and his friends Alicia and Daniel become hall monitors. while doing his job Zeke sees the bully Pelicarnassus, and the pelican calls Zeke fat, in retaliation to this Zeke punches him. The principal wombat takes the hall monitors sashes away, and now Zeke's separated from his friends. Meanwhile at his home his mom is mostly in bed with the 'black dog' next to her. Zeke has to do everything himself. On the bus there's a blind hawk, and Alicia introduces herself. After this the head forces Zeke to apology to the pelican, but he wants revenge on Zeke. He lives with France on his knee. His mum passes out and goes to hospital. Pelicarnassus builds a giant pelican suit and tries to kill Zeke but with the help of his two best friends and Miel, the hawk, they manage to defeat him. Zeke shields the pelican from disaster and now they are on a truce. His mum is back and he's happy.

mahiru
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

The story centers on Zeke, a monitor lizard who considers himself a "nobody" at school. Along with his best friends Daniel and Alicia (also monitor lizards), Zeke is appointed a Hall Monitor by Principal Wombat. The Bully: The lizard trio is targeted by Pelicarnassus, a pompous, giant pelican and son of a supervillain who has it out for them. When Zeke stands up to Pelicarnassus, the bully escalates the conflict, leading to outlandish threats, including a "Death Ray of Death" and a "giant robotic pelican attack" on the school. I liked how he isn’t all powerful or strong, he’s just normal.

Patrick J
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a such a great and funny book! Expect to find yourself laughing out loud and struggling to put this story down! Zeke is a monitor lizard who has just become a hall monitor at his school, but he has no idea what he is about to experience. You should be ready for unexpected twists, turns and lots of jokes through out this book! My favourite character was Alicia as she acts like such a normal side character, but she is so kind and fearless. There were so many scenes that I could relate to and sometimes it even felt like I was in the story! Some of the scenes that felt the most real were the tense and embarrassing ones. Something that didn’t work for me was that the whole story was in 3rd tense, and I found it quite hard to follow along at some points, e.g. when there was a conversation happening and the author didn’t specify which character was talking. However, after the first few chapters, I got the hang of what was happening and could follow along quite easily. Overall, I think that this a funny and interesting book that I would recommend to younger readers, but honestly anyone could read this book and get pleasure out of it. I am definitely going to read the other books in this series!

Gwen
Vista Academy Littleport

I first read this as a proof copy and was amazed how this author could turn his hand to a middle grade read about a school populated by animals when you consider his other books! Anyway they might have been talking animals but their speech and behaviour was just what you would find in any middle school. The issues faced were also similar in awkward home lives, challenges the monitors take on, bullying, etc. I loved the anarchic Pelicarnassus and his mighty fighting machine that destroys the school! Miel the eagle showed that his visual impairment wasn't going to get in his way. Brilliantly mad read!

Mrs P
Cake a Book Club

This is a really funny book. The normality of villany is what makes this such a laugh. Zeke is a character whose actions should be what we act like. Showing kindness and empathy. I really enjoyed this book

Zeven
Rainbeau Readers

The book Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is about a monitor lizard named Zeke with France on his knee (literally) and his friends Alicia and Daniel, who are against a bully with a supervillain mum names Pelicarnassus. This book covers mental health with animal facts weaved into the storyline. My favourite character is Daniel, because he adds some comedic effects and is a good friend to Zeke. My favourite part of the book is when Zeke’s class is learning about France and examines Zeke’s knee because I find how the French people respond to the class’ questions funny. I think this book is aimed at younger audiences because not as much happened earlier on and it was more about friendship, and just generally isn’t the type of book I’d read. It is a very touching and beautiful book and it makes me happy to read it.

Kirsty
Vista Academy Littleport

This is an amazing book. It is really easy to read, but still has an interesting and engaging plot. I loved the humour, and the characters are developed really well. The author also uses emotive language effectively, and the illustrations are fantastic. My favourite character was Miel because he is so cool and funny. I really hope this book wins this year!

Ksenya
Rainbeau Readers

I loved this book, it dealed with serious themes as well as being super funny. It made me laugh so much, especially when you found out that France was on Zeke's knee!

Amelia
SHHS shadows

I loved this book because it was so funny and had very imaginative characters! I especially loved the character Miel for his friendliness. This book is perfect for readers who love cartoon-like action and adventure as well as a little bit of history. (Don't worry, they make the history very funny!) I rate this book a 9.8/10!

Marie
SHHS shadows

I liked the creativity of the book but at some points I had to skip to other parts of the book to understand what was going on because it was really random at some points but like Wolf Siren I liked how one of the main characters possessed a physical disability.

Henry
St Kaths

Chronicles Of A Lizard Nobody was a great book just not really fit my age group. I think I would've really enjoyed this book about five years ago as it is both funny and has serious problems, like bullying, in a fun book kids would want to pick up. It seems impossible to compare this to a book like 24 Seconds From Now as I don't think there is a single person in the target audience for both, which makes deciding the best book in the shortlist a lot harder. Overall, the book was funny but predictable with some parts a bit too crazy and a nice happy ending.

Aidan
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I really enjoyed The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody because it was incredibly funny and imaginative. It also explores important themes like friendship and bullying. I felt really sorry for Zeke when I found out about his mum, but I was glad that things worked out in the end. I also found it hilarious that he had “France” on his knee! My favourite character was Miel because he is very smart and still helps others even though he is blind. I would highly recommend this amazing book.

Hannah
Rainbeau Readers

I really like this book because all the laughs in this book.You can read this book out loud and not stop laughing because in my book group it was me and Mr watts and my friend Eliza we didn't stop laughing over the wombat jokes. It was really funny.I think everyone will love this book.The hall monitors (Zeke,Daniel,Alicia) They are really hilarious with there wombat jokes and more. Dealing with the criminal Pelicarnassus also adds excitement as we wonder if they can survive

Isla
St David’s reading stars

This book was amazingly hilarious. I honestly love the hall monitors, especially Daniel, with his funny and inappropriate questions. When I read the first couple of chapters with my group, (Isla, Mr Watts etc) we were all bursting out laughing. The book was funny and really explains what high school life can be in the hallways, but also deals with other more serious things

Eliza
St David’s reading stars

A really enjoyable book that deals with serious themes in an empathetic way. It doesn’t diminish the complexity of the problems that arise but by making them humorous it lets the reader to say ‘I get it’ but still have fun reading

Paul
St David’s reading stars

'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' is a book about friendship, bullying and surviving school. It is about a lizard named Zeke who is a hall monitor with his other lizard friends: Daniel and Alicia. The main story is that Zeke gets bullied by a pelican called Pelicarnarssus who wants to be a supervillain, and strangely Zeke also has the miniature sized country of France on his knee due to a curse involving his grandfather. This book didn't leave a lasting impression on me, it's a bit silly despite shining a light on issues like bullying. I think it's aimed younger children. I read it quickly and I was glad to finish it.

Sylvan C
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

"The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" is a good book which is about a lizard called Zeke who has France on his knee, he is bullied by a pelican who tries to invade France. Then just ends up just invading the school he goes to with Zeke. But eventually with the help of his friends Zeke defeats the pelican. I think this is a good book but is for slightly younger children.

alfie c
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I found this book a hard book to understand . It follows the story of Zeke who becomes a hall monitor at school and gets bullied but ends up overcoming this and stopping the bully from destroying the school. I think it was a nice book in the sense that it put across a good message about standing up for yourself and knowing that you can or that you are just as good as everyone else. I enjoyed how some parts were quite funny and I particularly enjoyed the character of Miel . This book also had some deeper topics , for example his dad's death and his mums grief struggles which surprised me with this genre .However , a lot of things were quite hard to understand like why Zeke had France on his knee. The plot sometimes seemed a bit silly which makes me think that this book is aimed more at younger readers .Overall I think it puts out a good message of believing in yourself but it was a bit confusing and I think I would have enjoyed this more if I was younger . I would give this book 3/5 stars.

Holly H
Vista Academy Littleport

Zeke and Daniel have become hall monitors by Mrs Wombat, but not only because they are monitor lizards. Shockingly, Alicia (the only other monitor lizard) is a hall monitor as well! This story is about animals ranging from hawks and pelicans, to lizards and lions. They all go to school together and the 3 main characters are hall monitors. Terror comes as Pelicarnassus bullies Zeke, Daniel, and Alicia. Zeke gives him a punch and therefore got near expulsion. They meet a new friend called Miel (which means honey) who is blind but smart. We were able to know he was smart, when he told us how he was able to locate his way through the school. Zeke has France on his knee as a curse his grandpa caused and now Zeke hates it with the black dog that always is next to his mum. Speaking of his mum, she went into hospital because she forgot to eat. Usually, she does that but it made her pass out on Zeke's bad day. The wannabe villain (Pelicarnassus) has been trying to bully Zeke as he was told by a Norman. Norman has been fed up of the fact that Pelicarnassus keeps talking about him. Pelicarnassus has been trying to scare The main character (Zeke) so he caused wreckage at the school that was intended to kill him. After all that chaos, he finally has a good day where he gets his hall monitor sash back, Miel said he showed heroism and Pelicarnassus got his consequence as he was grounded and his computers were taken away. However, that was not the true good day. In fact it was more than a week after where he gets a surprise. He sees his mum and his mum kisses him on the forehead and gets into a big big hug with Zeke. That's where we were left off and I believe that he deserved it. I recommend this book to whoever wants to enjoy some good fiction. I actually loved this book and I rate this a solid 9/10.

Ihsan K
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

It feels like a rollercoaster of imagination where everything is unpredictable. It almost feels like a child wrote this, it's very understandable and fun to read. I love the little illustrations that comes with it, it helps with knowing what's happening and what kind of animal they are (which was really helpful!) I also love that it's just a world filled with animals, something you have never thought you would read.

Marcus Mikaela
The SBSJs

This book surprised me. I was expecting a very childish and immature book, which it sort of was, but slightly exceeded my expectations. We follow a lizard called Zeke as he goes through what I assume is primary school. Everyone there is a different animal and he has 2 lizard and 1 eagle friends. It was honestly quite funny which was surprising, but not a laugh out loud type funny. It took some quite confusing and unexpected turns, like France being on his leg, a giant robot pelican, a supervillain, and superpowered hall monitor sashes for some reason. Surprisingly, it also had some deeper themes, like how Zeke's father died and how his mum doesn't see him much, most likely because of the depression she has after the death of her husband. The book represents friendship which is a good theme, but I feel is a bit too immature of a theme for the Carnegies, especially when the book can be quite random and immature. Overall, the book was quite surprising. 6/10.

Elliott.H
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I really like how Alicia (not me),Daniel and Zeke became hall monitors and they have such humour with their imagination.Also Pelicarnassus has made a deal with Alicia,Daniel and Zeke to a fight, but then after Daniel said no ,Pelicarnassus got suspended because he hit Daniel. I would totally recommend this if you want to read a humorous book. A great story

Alicia
St David’s reading stars

i like all of the illustrations and how funny n the book 'Chronicles of lizard nobody'is Zeke -- a lizard -- and a few of his lizard friends became hall monitors and they have a great fight ahead of them against the evil pelicarnassus. It is an enjoyable and entertaining read

layla
St David’s reading stars

It is a good book. In my thoughts, it was funny engaging and at the end I wanted to read on. The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a book about friendship and standing up for your own rights. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Mohammed A
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I found it quite interesting, with a lot of sub-stories that eventually became quite important, such as France being on the main character's knee, his mum being in hospital and his friends being hall monitors. It was funny, with the laser sashes and the huge robot pelican.

Connor F
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

In the book 'Chronicles of lizard nobody', Zeke -- a lizard -- and a few of his lizard friends became hall monitors. And then an animal called Pelicarnassus invades France in mini fighter jets. In the end I would rate this a 7/10 because the story line was good but it was a bit short. I recommend this book for 10 year olds

Cody
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

This was quite a good book that was extremely funny whilst still having an interesting plot and storyline. I feel that one of the best parts of this book was its characters as it had such a diverse and likeable cast of characters. It also had some great plot twists / mysteries; for example, France.

Theo dP
Ermysted’s Carnegie Shadowing Group

I found the ending /moral of the story gave a nice message but the rest of the book was a little bit weird in parts and could be confusing at times.

Nadia
St Kaths

A good start and I can't wait to finish reading it!

Lucas
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