Sixth-grader Nate Wright believes he is AWESOME... at least that’s what he’ll tell you. The truth is, he has his doubts, but he’s not about to let the rest of the world know that. Nate is constantly trying to prove how great he is to everyone around him, and there are many obstacles in his way: his annoying sister, his academic archnemesis, even his pure evil social studies teacher. Does he let that beat him? No way. Awesomeness– as far as Nate is concerned – cannot be beaten. It’s as much a part of Nate as breathing and drawing cartoons. Cartoons are his superpower - they help him express himself and bring his overactive imagination to life. On the outside, Nate seems confident and sure of what he is doing, but his cartoons reveal who he truly is: a little uncertain, very funny, and always entertaining!

Dee Dee is smart, excitable, and dreams of being an actress. She’s able to pull off whatever the boys are incapable (or unwilling) to do, which makes her an invaluable member of the group. Even Nate is often in awe at the places she’s willing to sneak! Dee Dee craves excitement almost as much as she craves drama. Life is an adventure when she’s with Nate, and she never feels more like herself than when she’s participating in one of his schemes. Still, Dee Dee is no follower. She’s an independent thinker who will call out Nate and the gang if they’re being idiots – especially to girls. Dee Dee isn’t a goody-goody. She’s just as mischievous as Nate, she’s just better at not getting caught.

Francis is Nate’s voice of reason – the one who tries to keep Nate’s wild ideas in check, or at least keep Nate out of unnecessary trouble. They have been inseparable since they met in kindergarten, and of all his friends, Nate counts on Francis the most. Most of the time Nate listens to Francis’s sage advice, but not always, like when that sage advice is to not do something awesome. Francis sees in Nate what he’d like to see in himself: fearlessness, street smarts, charm, and most importantly, a sense that Nate likes himself. For Francis, if a little of that could rub off, helping Nate with his awesome adventures is definitely worth it.

Teddy met Nate his second week after moving to town. From that day forth, he became Nate’s main co-conspirator: a partner in chaos always willing to go along with Nate’s crazy schemes. But he’s no dummy - if there’s a chance they’ll get caught, Teddy has an amazing way of disappearing. On more than one occasion, Teddy has been right behind Nate, only to mysteriously VANISH when Nate gets caught. Teddy is also incredibly calm. The guy just never gets flustered! Secretly, Teddy is a total whiz at math, but he keeps it quiet because he’s afraid his friends will just think of him as “the numbers guy.” All in all, Teddy is the perfect sidekick.

Chad is one of Nate’s good friends. He’s a sweet, harmless kid with distinctive red hair and freckles. Nate loves Chad because – like Teddy – Chad is willing to help Nate with all his schemes. But unlike Teddy, Chad is not quite bright enough to run away when Nate’s schemes go sideways. The problem is, Chad almost always messes up what he’s been asked to do. For instance, there was the infamous “ghost pepper” incident where Chad’s mistake led to a month of butt fire for Nate.

Ellen is Nate’s older sister and the object of much angst for Nate. Why? Because Ellen is perfect. Just ask any of Nate’s teachers who had his sister as a student. She’s hardworking, reliable, and never once got detention. She liked her teachers and engaged in conversations with them after class – not because she was in trouble, but because she actually WANTED to talk to them. If Ellen has flaws, Nate’s never seen them, but he’s determined to find them anyway. Ellen, for her part, is well aware of her brother’s reputation and has a foolproof way of dealing with his pranks when they’re directed at her: she tells dad.

Life has not gone exactly as planned for Martin Wright, Nate and Ellen’s father. Like his son, he is somewhat clueless about who he is, as opposed to how he is viewed by those around him. But being older, Martin has a better handle on his shortcomings. All that aside, Martin is a great dad. He always makes sure there is food on the table, and not just for his own family. He never hands out candy at Halloween, instead preferring to give rice cakes or prunes. At the end of the day, Martin loves his son and daughter. Parenting two kids is tough, and he’s doing it alone, but Martin doesn’t complain. Well, he does complain, but who doesn’t?

Affectionately called the “CREATURE TEACHER” by Nate, Mrs. Godfrey more than lives up to the name. The woman is perpetually on edge and always waiting for someone – usually Nate – to step out of line. Every day for her is about survival. She is at war, and Nate is her chief enemy. For his part, Nate does not like Godfrey, but he doesn’t go out of his way to antagonize her either. In fact, he would love to do something right so she is not always on his case! Sadly, this has yet to happen. Far as Nate can tell, Godfrey’s only redeeming quality is her love of Sci-Fi, which is also a favorite of Nate’s.

Principal Nichols is basically a good guy who struggles with being an authority figure. Nichols’ approach with the kids has always been to engage them as a friend with lines like “How do you do, fellow kids?”Unfortunately, he always comes off as an adult who’s trying way too hard to be “relevant” and “cool”. Because of this, he routinely leaves himself open for ridicule from Nate and the other kids. Fortunately, because he is a very affable person, Nichols rarely gets upset by this. Every encounter with the students – regardless if it results in an explosion, major injury, nuclear meltdown, etc. – is a positive one. Nichols is a glass half full guy...unfortunately the glass usually has a hole in it.