On what should be a normal school day at their normal school—recently rebuilt at great expense by the town’s supervillain after her son destroyed it with a giant robot pelican suit—things begin to spin out of control for monitor lizards Zeke, Daniel, and Alicia and Meil the hawk the moment they board the school bus. For no good reason, Zeke is deeply unsettled by Daniel’s new pink hat. The tower sprouting on the town’s tallest hill surely contains a Death Ray of Death. And Meil’s predator instincts have kicked in: what if he accidently eats his friends or their new classmate, Peggy the flounder, in her portable aquarium? At school, Zeke suspects the new guidance counselor—who hails from the same pelican crime family as their nemesis—of turning Daniel and Alicia against him. Or was it something Zeke said? With lively graphic illustrations, breakneck action, and a big heart, book two blends droll satire with belly laughs to prove that when life turns up the heat ray, you get to choose who to be. Even unlikely reptilian heroes need the courage to say they’re sorry.
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- The Hat of Great Importance (Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody 2)
The Hat of Great Importance (Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody 2)
Author(s)
Publisher
Age Range
8+
Release Date
June 03, 2025
ISBN
978-1536241266
Buy This Book
In the second book in this wry series, award-winning author Patrick Ness explores school anxiety and the highs and lows of friendship with sidesplitting honesty—and pits our heroes against a slippery new supervillain.
Editor review
1 review
Friendship issues
(Updated: June 12, 2026)
Overall rating
3.7
Plot
4.0
Characters
4.0
Writing Style
3.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
What worked:
This book is nice for emerging or reluctant readers. They can experience reading success by completing the short chapters, and the amusing illustrations encourage engagement. The main characters are three monitor lizards, and the principal assigns them jobs as the only school hall monitors. The story includes funny puns like this, although the narrator tells readers it shouldn’t be blamed for them. Many pages include footnotes where the narrator explains things mentioned. Although it’s already light-hearted, they often add more levity to the story.
Even though the plot tells an innocent story of good friends, it still includes issues that might be found in typical classrooms. The lizards have a conflict with a bully, although he happens to be the son of the town’s arch villain and wants to follow in her footsteps. A new student arrives, and she’s an exchange student from a fish school (no pun intended). Alicia spends more time with the student, helping her adjust to the change. Daniel is excited that his new, pink (salmon-colored?) hat is noticed by other classmates. As a result, Zeke feels left out and a little jealous of the attention his friends are receiving. This makes Zeke feel angry, but he doesn’t know how to deal with it appropriately. Another friend, a blind falcon, has trouble handling his feelings of anxiety.
What didn’t work as well:
The country of France is on Zeke’s knee, which is pretty strange. It’s not a tattoo but the actual country. France acts like another character, but it doesn’t add much to the plot.
The final verdict:
The book presents an unusual story of friendship, anxiety, and anger. Young readers can learn a little about these topics from the characters’ successes and mistakes. The book won’t appeal to everyone, but you should give it a chance.
This book is nice for emerging or reluctant readers. They can experience reading success by completing the short chapters, and the amusing illustrations encourage engagement. The main characters are three monitor lizards, and the principal assigns them jobs as the only school hall monitors. The story includes funny puns like this, although the narrator tells readers it shouldn’t be blamed for them. Many pages include footnotes where the narrator explains things mentioned. Although it’s already light-hearted, they often add more levity to the story.
Even though the plot tells an innocent story of good friends, it still includes issues that might be found in typical classrooms. The lizards have a conflict with a bully, although he happens to be the son of the town’s arch villain and wants to follow in her footsteps. A new student arrives, and she’s an exchange student from a fish school (no pun intended). Alicia spends more time with the student, helping her adjust to the change. Daniel is excited that his new, pink (salmon-colored?) hat is noticed by other classmates. As a result, Zeke feels left out and a little jealous of the attention his friends are receiving. This makes Zeke feel angry, but he doesn’t know how to deal with it appropriately. Another friend, a blind falcon, has trouble handling his feelings of anxiety.
What didn’t work as well:
The country of France is on Zeke’s knee, which is pretty strange. It’s not a tattoo but the actual country. France acts like another character, but it doesn’t add much to the plot.
The final verdict:
The book presents an unusual story of friendship, anxiety, and anger. Young readers can learn a little about these topics from the characters’ successes and mistakes. The book won’t appeal to everyone, but you should give it a chance.
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