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Nate the Great Facts & Worksheets

“Nate the Great” is a beloved series of children’s detective books penned by an American writer named Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. A total of 30 books comprise the “Nate the Great” series.

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“Nate the Great” is a beloved series of children’s detective books penned by an American writer named Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. A total of 30 books comprise the “Nate the Great” series. The stories revolve around the adventures of Nate, a young detective celebrated for his keen observations, sharp intellect, and talent for unraveling mysteries. Accompanied by his faithful canine sidekick, Sludge, Nate navigates various mysteries within his neighborhood. In his adventures, Nate uses deductive reasoning to solve each mystery, all while maintaining a sense of humor.

See the fact file below for more information about Nate the Great, or you can download our 25-page Nate the Great worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

CREATORS AND PUBLICATION

  • In 1972, Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and illustrator Marc Simont kicked off the “Nate the Great” series with a 60-page book called “Nate the Great,” published by Coward, McCann & Geoghegan. 
  • Simont did the illustrations for the first twenty books until 1998.
  • The next ten were illustrated by Martha Weston, Jody Wheeler, or Olga and Aleksey Ivanov.
  • “Nate the Great” drew inspiration from and was named after Sharmat’s father, who had the joy of witnessing the publication of the first Nate book.
  • Mitchell Sharmat, Marjorie Sharmat’s husband, expanded Nate’s adventures by introducing Olivia Sharp, Nate’s cousin and fellow detective.
  • The Sharmat duo co-authored four Olivia Sharp books, published from 1989 to 1991.
  • Moving into the 1990s, their son Craig Sharmat collaborated with his mother on three “Nate the Great” books.
  • In the late 2010s, their other son Andrew joined in, co-writing the final two books during Sharmat’s lifetime.
  • Following Marjorie Sharmat’s passing in 2019, Andrew has carried on the series, with “Nate the Great and the Earth Day Robot” being the latest installment, published in 2021.

MAIN CHARACTER PROFILE

  • Nate, the central protagonist in the “Nate the Great” books, has a charming and lovable presence throughout the series.
  • Nate exhibits an insatiable curiosity and keen observational skills.
  • As a detective, he can discern even the smallest of details.
  • Nate also exudes confidence in his detective prowess.
  • He approaches each case determined and set on a firm belief in his ability to unravel mysteries.
  • He’s also the type to say witty remarks and have a light-hearted demeanor, which enhances the enjoyment for young readers.
  • As for his detective skills, Nate relies mainly on deductive reasoning.
  • He meticulously examines clues, thinks logically, and connects the dots to uncover the truth.
  • Nate is also a boy who thinks outside the box and can get really resourceful to accomplish a task.
  • Nate has a genuine passion for solving mysteries.
  • Whether locating lost items or untangling puzzles, Nate is motivated by the exhilaration of solving the unknown, a sense of responsibility, and a genuine desire to help others.

OTHER CHARACTERS

  • Sludge is Nate’s awesome dog sidekick, who is smart and helps Nate find things.
  • Annie is Nate’s African-American friend and neighbor whom Nate works with to solve mysteries and have fun adventures.
  • She has a younger brother named Harry.
  • Rosamond is another friend who loves cats and is later revealed to have a crush on Nate.
  • Nate helps her with cat-related mysteries.
  • Rosamond has four cats named Super Hex, Big Hex, Plain Hex, and Little Hex.
  • Oliver is a classmate of Nate who also likes figuring out puzzles and mysteries.
  • Oliver’s parents sometimes help Nate out with advice.
  • Claude is another friend of Nate who joins in on some of the detective work.

RECURRING THEMES

  • Each narrative revolves around a mystery or predicament Nate endeavors to unravel, highlighting the significance of critical thinking, deductive reasoning, and inventive problem-solving.
  • Nate is able to solve these mysteries because of his curiosity, observational skills, imaginative skills, and perseverance.
  • He also gets by with the help of his friends like Annie, Rosamond, Oliver, and others; this is a classic example of collaboration.
  • The book series promotes inclusivity because of its diverse array of characters with unique qualities and backgrounds.
  • Nate takes on detective work not solely for personal satisfaction but from a sense of responsibility and ability to help friends and neighbors.

NOTABLE PLOTS

  • In the first book, Nate’s friends Annie and Rosamond have each lost something precious: a picture of Annie’s dog, Fang, and Rosamond’s cat named Super Hex.
  • In the 1981 book “Nate the Great and the Missing Key,” Nate locates a misplaced house key by retracing the owner’s steps and keenly noting details.
  • In a more recent book published in 2018 entitled “Nate the Great and the Missing Birthday Snake,” Nate faces his fear of snakes to find a missing pet snake of Lizzy, the cousin of Rosamond.
  • Nate embarks on a journey to San Francisco to visit his cousin, Olivia Sharp, who is also a detective in the 1999 book “Nate the Great, San Francisco Detective.”

BOOK TITLES

  • The complete book titles included in the series are:
    • “Nate the Great (1972)
    • “Nate the Great Goes Undercover (1974)
    • “Nate the Great And The Lost List (1975)
    • “Nate the Great and the Phony Clue (1977)
    • “Nate the Great and the Sticky Case (1978)
    • “Nate the Great And The Missing Key (1981)
    • “Nate the Great and the Snowy Trail (1982)
    • “Nate the Great And The Fishy Prize (1985)
    • “Nate the Great Stalks Stupidweed (1986)
    • “Nate the Great And The Boring Beach Bag (1987)
    • “Nate the Great Goes Down in the Dumps (1989)
    • “Nate the Great And The Halloween Hunt (1989)
    • “Nate the Great and the Musical Note (1990)
    • “Nate the Great and the Stolen Base (1992)
    • “Nate the Great and the Pillowcase (1993)
    • “Nate the Great and the Mushy Valentine (1994)
    • “Nate the Great and the Tardy Tortoise (1995)
    • “Nate the Great And The Crunchy Christmas (1996)
    • “Nate the Great Saves the King of Sweden (1997)
    • “Nate the Great and Me: The Case of the Fleeing Fang (1998)
    • “Nate the Great and the Monster Mess (1999)
    • “Nate the Great, San Francisco Detective (2000)
    • “Nate the Great and the Big Sniff (2001)
    • “Nate the Great On the Owl Express (2003)
    • “Nate the Great Talks Turkey (2006)
    • “Nate the Great and the Hungry Book Club (2009)
    • “Nate the Great, Where Are You? (2014)
    • “Nate the Great and the Missing Birthday Snake (2017)
    • “Nate the Great and the Wandering Word (2018)
    • “Nate the Great and the Wandering Word (2019)“Nate the Great and the Earth Day Robot (2021)

SCREEN ADAPTATIONS

  • “Nate the Great Goes Undercover” was made into a television show, earning recognition with the Los Angeles International Children’s Film Festival Award.
  • In 2006, PBS and Animagic collaborated on a 40-episode animated series inspired by “Nate the Great,” but it was canceled six weeks into production.

Nate the Great Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Nate the Great across 25 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Nate the Great. A total of 30 books comprise the “Nate the Great” series.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Nate the Great Facts
  2. Detective Lingo
  3. Nate’s Many Faces
  4. Title Puzzle
  5. Plot Summaries
  6. Deduce and Decode
  7. The Great Book Club
  8. What Would Nate Do?
  9. Myself the Great
  10. Literary Detectives
  11. About Olivia Sharp

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Nate the Great?

Nate the Great is a fictional character in a series of children’s books written by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. He is a young detective known for his keen powers of observation and deductive reasoning.

What is Nate the Great’s favorite food?

Pancakes are Nate the Great’s favorite food. In the books, he often enjoys eating pancakes and frequently mentions his love for them.

Who are Nate’s friends in the Nate the Great series?

Nate has a few friends who often assist him in his detective work. Some of his notable friends include his dog, Sludge, and his close friend Annie. Together, they solve various mysteries in their neighborhood.

What is the first book in the Nate the Great series?

The first book in the Nate the Great series is titled “Nate the Great,” published in 1972. In this book, readers are introduced to Nate and his detective skills as he takes on his first case to find a lost picture.

How many Nate the Great books are there?

The Nate the Great series consists of more than 25 books. Marjorie Weinman Sharmat wrote the original series, and her son, Andrew Sharmat, continued the series after her retirement. The books are designed for early readers and are popular for their engaging stories and simple language.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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