Leave it to Big Nate to stake his claim on anything in reach! Aspiring cartoonist Nate Wright is the star of Big Nate , the daily and Sunday comic strip. As a popular middle-grade book character, Nate is 11 years old, four-and-a-half feet tall, and the all-time record holder for detentions in school history. He's a self-described genius and sixth grade Renaissance Man. Nate, who lives with his dad and older sister, enjoys pestering his family and teachers with his sarcasm.