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Title details for Operation: Cover-Up by Tate Godwin - Available

Operation: Cover-Up

#1 in series

by Tate Godwin
ebook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
A class clown and brainiac cook up the ultimate operation when they swap identities at their elementary school in this laugh-out-loud funny graphic novel, perfect for fans of Cat Ninja, Dog Man, and Big Nate.
Nick's a straight-A student. Sy's a class clown.

But when they start at a new school, misunderstandings cause everyone to think Nick's the class clown and Sy's the brainiac. Eager to fit in, they make a pact: Nick will teach Sy how to be a convincing brainiac, and Sy will help Nick pose as a jokester. But the two soon learn it's not easy to fake your way through fifth grade, and the longer their charade goes on, the harder it is to come clean. When the two impostors meet a girl with a secret of her own, the three form an unlikely friendship that challenges everything they thought they knew about what it means to "be yourself."
This debut graphic novel series by cartoonist Tate Godwin is teeming with fun, hijinks, and embracing who you are—and all the many facets of what makes up your identity.
"Charming and colorful and cleverly told. Operation Cover-Up is full of humor and characters that any kid can relate to!" — John Patrick Green, New York Times bestselling author of the InvestiGATORS series
"Featuring a lively, nonstop narrative arc and precise pastel cartoon art, this humorous graphic novel conveys complex truths about loyalty, identity, and honesty. Godwin employs a split screen–style format early on as Sy and Nick embark on parallel storylines that eventually converge—an inspired way to introduce the protagonists and to help readers realize that everyone, no matter how outwardly confident, feels self-doubt and uncertainty. Hilarious, perceptive, and thoughtful—just like its protagonists." - Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review
"The kids' world bursts with vibrant color that brings the characters and their surroundings to life with dynamic, youthful exuberance. Playful banter and touching moments of self-discovery showcase the challenges of navigating adolescence—and the importance of having a friend to do it with." - Publisher's Weekly, STARRED review

  • Creators

  • Series

    Operation

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    January 21, 2025

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9798881603007

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Kirkus

      Starred review from December 15, 2024
      Brainiac and class clown newbies struggle to define themselves. Sy, a bespectacled, wisecracking blue kitty, is apprehensive about starting a new school midway through the year. So is Nick, a scholarly pink bunny with a huge vocabulary. Both make disastrous errors in their separate fifth grade classroom debuts, both are skeptical when their parents offer reassurance, and both fear not being recognized for their gifts. When Sy spouts off a scientific fact in class, he's branded an intellectual; after Nick relates a funny anecdote, his classmates assume he's a joker. Sy and Nick panic and attempt to live up to the labels they've been saddled with, in the hopes of making new friends. Godwin deftly explores the weight of expectations and the power of teamwork as Sy and Nick finally meet and decide to secretly help each other out. But Operation: Cover-Up proves difficult--especially when the annual talent show rolls around. Featuring a lively, nonstop narrative arc and precise pastel cartoon art, this humorous graphic novel conveys complex truths about loyalty, identity, and honesty. Godwin employs a split screen-style format early on as Sy and Nick embark on parallel storylines that eventually converge--an inspired way to introduce the protagonists and to help readers realize that everyone, no matter how outwardly confident, feels self-doubt and uncertainty. Hilarious, perceptive, and thoughtful--just like its protagonists.(Graphic fiction. 7-11)

      COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from October 14, 2024
      In this gentle graphic novel debut,
      Godwin spins a sweet tale of learning to embrace one’s true self. Sy and Nick—an anthropomorphic cat and rabbit, respectively—are preparing to start fifth grade at New Leaf Elementary. Sy is a consummate prankster and Nick prides himself on his book smarts, and while the two have never met, a series of gaffes and misunderstandings lead their classmates to believe that Nick is Mr. Funny Guy and Sy is a genius, turning their worlds upside down. Nick and Sy soon come together and strike an accord to protect their reputations: Nick will coach Sy on the art of academics, and Sy will teach Nick the logic of comedy. Upon befriending squirrel classmate Violet, who
      harbors her own secret skill for drawing comics, the trio form a supportive bond that encourages them to share their hidden talents with the school. The kids’ world bursts with vibrant color that brings the characters and their surroundings to life with dynamic, youthful exuberance. Playful banter and touching moments of self-discovery
      showcase the challenges of navigating
      adolescence—and the importance of having a friend to do it with. Ages 7–11. Agent: Lori Steel, SteelWorks Literary.

    • School Library Journal

      January 10, 2025

      Gr 3-6-Two kids start fifth grade at a new school-Sy, a blue cat, is a class clown, Nick, a crown-wearing bunny, is a brainiac. By some strange twist of fate, when they're introduced to their new classmates, each gets mistakenly plastered with the other's label. Everyone thinks the smart kid is a goof, and everyone thinks the goofball is highly intelligent. Nervous and eager to fit in, both decide to just go with it, trying on new personalities and charming their classmates with their ruse. Unfortunately, their fake-out skills are limited, and in a Cyrano de Bergerac-style narrative, they ultimately have to get together to fill in for the others' weaknesses-and they can only keep the ruse up for so long. Both also have a collection of other idiosyncratic interests, and a school talent show ultimately gives them the opportunity to show their true colors and branch out beyond their comfortable yet confining niches. A multilayered middle grade problem story with lots of jokes and plot twists, this graphic novel captures the challenges of labeling oneself and accepting the labels other kids may assign peers in a fun albeit slightly complicated way. VERDICT A lighthearted, amusing story of facing social challenges with lots of food for thought for older elementary and middle school readers.-Emilia Packard

      Copyright 2025 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Read

subjects

Languages

  • English

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