Member Reviews

"What did you do today?"
"Nothing"

"Nothing" is a common response when trying to get information out of kids. But what really goes on when they say "Nothing"?
This is a fun look at the adventures a child has when he does "nothing" all day. Getting ready in the morning? An Indiana Jones style epic. School bus? a spaceship! Assembly? Nah, it's an intergalactic forum!

Artfully illustrated in a loose graphic novel style, the story framed as a mom asking her child what they did all day. Nothing? Really?

~Many thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~

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I really enjoyed the art style of this book, and it was such a fun read! I loved how the art style emphasized and showed the power of a child's imagination and the switch between sci-fi/fantasy was so interesting and engaging!

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This is such a fun book to read to your child at the end of the day. Most parents are faced with "nothing" as an answer by their children when asked about how the day went. The best part about this book is that most of the storytelling is through illustrations, vividly capturing the events of the day. An entertaining book indeed!

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It's bedtime and, as she tucks him in, a mother asks her son about his day. He responds that he has done nothing. This is repeated, with her asking him about school and his evening, to which he gives the same reply. So far, this is probably quite familiar to anyone who has collected a child from school, but probably doesn't sound like a great story. With the accompanying comic book-style illustrations, however, this book is great! When the boy says that he walked to get the school bus, he imagines that he was creeping past wild animals who start to chase him. When he gets on the bus, he hangs onto the back as it drives off, before becoming a rocket and taking him to school in space.

I can imagine that this would be a really interesting way to support children with learning to write more complex sentences, by using the illustrations to add detail too what the boy is saying.

I really liked the illustrations, especially those of the school building and I hope that the book is printed large enough that the detail of these can really be enjoyed.

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How many times have you ever asked a kid what their day was like or what they were up to and received the answer, "nothing." This book may just give us a peak behind the curtain.. In this book the protagonist is giving a recap of his day with his mom before bed time.

What really allows this book to shine are its illustrations. They're exciting and full of detail. The reader hops from action-adventure to sci-fi, to historical fantasy scenes all packed with vibrant images. I think the pictures are perfect for asking questions if you're reading aloud and there is a bit of slang, but the conversations are simple enough for beginner English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)..

I like that the book ends with the promise of more exploration and adventures.

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A short story about doing Nothing.
Beautiful picture and wholesome.
I really enjoyed it but wished it was longer.

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Be The Main Character of Your Life!

Is the perfect summary of this book. It is a wonderful take on shifting ones mindset. Because if you don't look for it your story will pass you by.

This book made me oddly nostalgic as I read it, and I think it could be a good read for anyone.

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A well written, imaginative and entertaining text. The author has simply but effectively written and illustrated a brilliant graphic novella. Appealing to parents and children of all ages, it delves into the realms of imagination and is a wonderful insight into the world from a child's point of view.

Nothing by Michael Molinet is a graphic novella that answers the age old question of what children have done all day. Our opinion of 'nothing' is very different from theirs. Beautifully written and illustrated, Nothing is a narrative every child can relate to.

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This certainly has some merit, but is perhaps one pass away from perfection. It's about a kid who pretends to have done nothing all day when recounting his activity to his mother as he's tucked into bed, but who proves to have actually done quite a lot – in his fervid imagination, at least. It's designed as a graphic novel or comic, but in a way the boxes of script and the fact we get one or two images at times per wide, horizontal double-paged spread almost feels like a graphic novel gone wrong. That said, the artwork is pretty damned impressive, and the look into his fantasy world is wonderful, even if the first third – him getting ready to catch the morning school bus – is a complete rip-off from Raiders of the Last Ark. It feels a little knowing at the end, with a nod to the fact the kid is self-aware about how stating he's done 'nothing' all day is a little ludicrous, but I think the biggest hiccup remains that layout. It's certainly worth a look, as it works as a piece designed to portray the imagination, even if it cannot quite nail a moral of any kind.

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Nothing is a children’s fiction graphic novel, but I think also some adults might enjoy it. It is a quite simple and short story, only 32 pages long. A boy describes his day to his mother. When she asks him in the evening what he did during the day, he replies simply: nothing. But for him, it sure wasn’t a boring day.

Even though you can’t judge this by its title, Nothing is a very interesting story. I like the difference in graphics that separates two parts of the story.

Thanks to the Notable Kids Publishing for the ARC and the opportunity to read this! All opinions are my own.

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Nothing was such a beautifully done book! The illustrations are gorgeous and I love the differences between the very colorful imaginative moments contrasted with the more monochromatic everyday world. The book is a testament to the power of imagination, particularly that of a child. It was interesting to think that the imaginative depths of a child's mind are so much a part of their everyday that it becomes normal. It is a wonderful reminder to keep nurturing that imagination as an adult. It is a worthy pursuit to keep that adventure in your life! I am happily looking forward to buying a copy of this in print just to keep around.

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This was such a fun read. The art style was incredibly done and i loved how it highlighted the power of a child’s imagination. The switch from sci-fi to fantasy was interesting and it made me want to read more about the different world(s) Jake was in.

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