Reviews

Nat Enough (Nat Enough #1), Volume 1 by Maria Scrivan

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bookph1le's review

3.0

This was a solid book that will undoubtedly appeal to a lot of middle-grade readers, but it just didn't have that spark that other similar books have had for me. I would have liked to see some more depth, especially with regard to Nat's former friendship with Lily. Nat comes across as kind of clueless, which isn't inconceivable, but since Zoe repeatedly points Lily's bad behavior out to Nat, Nat comes across as kind of dense at times. The pressure to conform in middle school is real, but I would have liked to see Nat show a little more insight, since Lily was not at all subtle in her terrible treatment of her supposed friend.

The real message of this book, though, is that we should all be Flo. And saying that kind of makes me wish the book were told from Flo's point of view instead, since her personality far outshines Nat's.

mehsi's review

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3.0

Nat Enough.... well it was definitely just not enough for me. The story was OK-ish at points (though a tad boring), though I was just shaking my head that Nat kept praising the lord and saviour named Lily while Lily has always been a freaking bitch. I am sorry to say that, but even before she just dumped her friend and started bullying her, Lily has been doing stuff NO ONE should do to a friend. I wasn't even sure why Nat couldn't see that, even when she finally makes some real friends.
When the book started I was kind of wondering if everyone Nat meets is a bully (given the girl in science class and the boy who kept barking at her for stupid reasons), but thankfully we do meet some great characters that brought a smile to my face. I also loved the bit of romance in the book and I was definitely rooting for the two to get together.
I loved Nat's drawings and I loved what she did for that contest.
The art... not entire my thing. Sorry. :(

silbrite's review

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

3.0

lkstrohecker's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced

brenda8's review

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funny lighthearted

4.0

A perfectly accurate and relatable portrait of the experience of entering middle school. Awkwardness, insecurities, fears, but also the experience of loosing and changing friends. As people grow, they change, and maybe the people we knew for forever don't fit in their lives anymore, but it opens you up to new people and experiences.

bickie's review

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Short chapters with Natalie's pets (a cat and a dog) doing silly stunts on the chapter break pages. Lily, Natalie's "best friend" since 2nd grade, moves the summer before they start middle school and drops her for a "cooler" friend. Natalie (white) is befriended by Zoe (brown) who eventually helps her see that Lily is not worth Natalie's attempts to win back her friendship. Upon reflection, it appears that perhaps Lily wasn't even a good friend in the first place.

Natalie likens first-day-of-school pictures to Christmas-morning pictures (meaning, no one likes them) and also chooses "Santa Claus" when under pressure to complete the "happy birthday" song. I wish the author had made more inclusive choices, such as not using the Christmas morning gag at all and using a cool artist or scientist for the birthday song, one that Natalie would have known and admired. Christianity does not seem like an important part of Natalie's identity, so it doesn't seem like it would take anything away from the story.

This story will be popular with my 3rd-5th graphic novel lovers who are always looking for something new after Raina Telgemeier, Victoria Jamieson, and the Babysitter's Club.