Nate the Great
Encyclopedia
Nate the Great is a series of novels written by Marjorie Sharmat
and illustrated by Marc Simont
, with occasional co-authorship by Mitchell Sharmat (Marjorie's husband) or Craig Sharmat
(her son), and recent illustrations by Martha Weston or Jody Wheeler. Several of the books have been made into television programs, and one of these, Nate the Great Goes Undercover, won the Los Angeles International Children's Film Festival Award. The New York Public Library
named Nate the Great Saves the King of Sweden as one of its "100 Titles for Reading and Sharing". Begun in 1972, the series has over 20 titles.
Nate is a detective, a child version of Sherlock Holmes
. With his dog, Sludge, Nate solves crimes.
Sludge is introduced in the second book, Nate the Great goes Undercover 1974. Nate finds him in a field eating a stale pancake. (Both Nate and Sludge love pancakes.)
Other continuing characters include:
Oliver -- described as a pest
Rosamond -- strange owner of five cats (Super Duper Hex, Super Hex, Big Hex, Plain Hex, and Little Hex)
Esmeralda -- described as wise
Annie -- owner of the fierce dog Fang
Finley and Pip -- occasional adversaries
The 1978 book Nate the Great and the Lost List features a character named Rosamond. Rosamond has long black hair and a short black dress, white mary jane
shoes, five black cats of different sizes, and is frequently described as "strange." In particular, the text of Nate the Great introduces Rosamond: "Rosamond did not look hungry or sleepy. She looked like she always looks. Strange." This text allegedly inspired the creation of Emily the Strange.
The 2002 book Nate the Great, San Francisco Detective establishes that Nate the Great and Olivia Sharp are cousins. Olivia Sharp is the title character in the Olivia Sharp: Agent for Secrets series of books, by Marjorie Sharmat
, Mitchell Sharmat, and Denise Brunkus.
Marjorie W. Sharmat
Marjorie Weinman Sharmat is an American children's writer.Sharmat has authored more than 130 books for children and teens...
and illustrated by Marc Simont
Marc Simont
Marc Simont is an artist, political cartoonist, and illustrator of more than a hundred children's books. Marc, inspired by his father, Spanish painter Joseph Simont, began drawing at a very young age. Mr...
, with occasional co-authorship by Mitchell Sharmat (Marjorie's husband) or Craig Sharmat
Craig Sharmat
Craig Sharmat composes music for TV and Film, and also is an accomplished guitarist whose work has been noteworthy in the Smooth Jazz charts. He has scored a wide variety of reality TV shows, TV animation, television commercials, and documentary movies. He has also played guitar on thousands of...
(her son), and recent illustrations by Martha Weston or Jody Wheeler. Several of the books have been made into television programs, and one of these, Nate the Great Goes Undercover, won the Los Angeles International Children's Film Festival Award. The New York Public Library
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries...
named Nate the Great Saves the King of Sweden as one of its "100 Titles for Reading and Sharing". Begun in 1972, the series has over 20 titles.
Nate is a detective, a child version of Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
. With his dog, Sludge, Nate solves crimes.
Sludge is introduced in the second book, Nate the Great goes Undercover 1974. Nate finds him in a field eating a stale pancake. (Both Nate and Sludge love pancakes.)
Other continuing characters include:
Oliver -- described as a pest
Rosamond -- strange owner of five cats (Super Duper Hex, Super Hex, Big Hex, Plain Hex, and Little Hex)
Esmeralda -- described as wise
Annie -- owner of the fierce dog Fang
Finley and Pip -- occasional adversaries
The 1978 book Nate the Great and the Lost List features a character named Rosamond. Rosamond has long black hair and a short black dress, white mary jane
Mary Jane (shoe)
Mary Jane is an American term for a strap shoe or bar shoe that typically has low heels, broad and rounded closed toes, and a single-buckle strap across the instep and/or around the ankle...
shoes, five black cats of different sizes, and is frequently described as "strange." In particular, the text of Nate the Great introduces Rosamond: "Rosamond did not look hungry or sleepy. She looked like she always looks. Strange." This text allegedly inspired the creation of Emily the Strange.
The 2002 book Nate the Great, San Francisco Detective establishes that Nate the Great and Olivia Sharp are cousins. Olivia Sharp is the title character in the Olivia Sharp: Agent for Secrets series of books, by Marjorie Sharmat
Marjorie W. Sharmat
Marjorie Weinman Sharmat is an American children's writer.Sharmat has authored more than 130 books for children and teens...
, Mitchell Sharmat, and Denise Brunkus.
Series
- Nate the Great
- Nate the Great goes Undercover
- Nate the Great and the Lost List
- Nate the Great and the Phony Clue
- Nate the Great and the Sticky Case
- Nate the Great and the Missing Key
- Nate the Great and the Snowy Trail
- Nate the Great and the Fishy Prize
- Nate the Great Stalks Stupidweed
- Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag
- Nate the Great Goes Down in the Dumps
- Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt
- Nate the Great and the Musical Note (written with Craig SharmatCraig SharmatCraig Sharmat composes music for TV and Film, and also is an accomplished guitarist whose work has been noteworthy in the Smooth Jazz charts. He has scored a wide variety of reality TV shows, TV animation, television commercials, and documentary movies. He has also played guitar on thousands of...
) - Nate the Great and the Stolen Base
- Nate the Great and the Pillow Case
- Nate the Great and the Mushy Valentine
- Nate the Great and the Tardy Tortoise (written with Craig SharmatCraig SharmatCraig Sharmat composes music for TV and Film, and also is an accomplished guitarist whose work has been noteworthy in the Smooth Jazz charts. He has scored a wide variety of reality TV shows, TV animation, television commercials, and documentary movies. He has also played guitar on thousands of...
) - Nate the Great and the Crunchy Christmas (written with Craig SharmatCraig SharmatCraig Sharmat composes music for TV and Film, and also is an accomplished guitarist whose work has been noteworthy in the Smooth Jazz charts. He has scored a wide variety of reality TV shows, TV animation, television commercials, and documentary movies. He has also played guitar on thousands of...
) - Nate the Great Saves the King of Sweden
- Nate the Great and Me: The Case of the Fleeing Fang
- Nate the Great and the Monster Mess
- Nate the Great, San Francisco Detective (written with Mitchell Sharmat)
- Nate the Great and the Big Sniff (written with Mitchell Sharmat)
- Nate the Great on the Owl Express
- Nate the Great Talks Turkey (written with Mitchell Sharmat, illustrated by Jody Wheeler)
- Nate the Great and the Hungry Book Club (written with Mitchell Sharmat, illustrated by Jody Wheeler)
Popular culture
- Nate the Great is mentioned in a few episodes of Between the LionsBetween the LionsBetween the Lions is a PBS Kids' puppet show designed to promote reading. The show is a co-production between WGBH in Boston and Sirius Thinking, Ltd., in New York City, in association with Mississippi Public Broadcasting, in Mississippi. The show has won seven Daytime Emmy awards between 2001 and...
. - Nate the Great is now a new musical by TheatreworksUSA in the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 seasons.
- Nate the Great is posited by Doctor Popular in an online article http://laughingsquid.com/was-emily-the-strange-based-on-rosamond-from-nate-the-great/ to be the inspiration for Emily the Strange.
External links
- Nate the Great at Random HouseRandom HouseRandom House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
- Marjorie Weinman Sharmat interview