The Book About Nothing by Mike Bender - ADVISABLE

Bender, Mike The Book About Nothing, illustrated by Hugh Murphy. PICTURE BOOK. Crown Books for Young Readers (Random House), 2018. $18. 9780399551093

The concept of 'nothing' is explored in this amusing and straightforward picture book. The book is not about rainbows or helicopters or princesses or underpants--it is unashamedly about nothing. Alongside simple but fun illustrations, the author explains that nothing is actually something: it fills empty jars, its what you wear when you bathe, etc. Nothing has never been more fun!

I was a little confused when I first picked this book up, but I was taken in by its fun premise almost immediately. The concept of nothing being something is a great topic and the author and illustrator handle it really well. The book is funny (one moment of literal potty humor that kids will get a kick out of) and it offers a lot of great examples of what nothing can be. I think this would be great for grammar lessons in the elementary schools, and definitely a good choice for a read aloud.

EL (K-3), EL--ADVISABLE. Reviewer: TC