The Gift of Nothing

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A digital children's book featuring embedded audio that can be turned on or off, for use with the NOOK Color reader
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More About This Book

Overview

What can Mooch the cat give Earl the dog when Earl has everything? The answer, of course, is nothing. This simple picture book story features characters from McDonnell's popular comic strip, "Mutts." Illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble
A simple and divine tribute to friendship, this tome from Mutts creator Patrick McDonnell introduces us to Mooch, a cat who wants to give his doggy pal, Earl, a gift. The trouble is, Earl has everything, so Mooch decides to give him the perfect present -- nothing. Confused? Don’t be: Your heart will be as touched as Earl’s in this thoughtful picture book that sails above other friendship books and is an ideal gift for the holidays, birthdays, or other occasions.
Elizabeth Ward
A mellow paean to anti-materialism that should ideally be handed out now, before holiday gift mania really kicks in. Spare drawings done in black, white and a seasonal touch of red reinforce the Zen-inspired idea that less is more.
—The Washington Post
More Reviews (4) Fewer Reviews
Publishers Weekly
The stars of the Mutts comic strip, Mooch the cat and his canine friend, Earl, break out of the Sunday funnies into the picture book world. McDonnell applies his spare style, sketching his cheeky characters with only a few deliberate lines. Each has a distinctive feature-Mooch's red ellipse-shaped nose, Earl's Princess Leia ears-that makes them instantly endearing. With plain backgrounds, a limited palette and a small square trim size, the book looks like a blown-up cartoon strip (even the pages have a newspaper-like grittiness). But the story has more depth than the minimalist visuals would suggest. Here, Mooch searches for the perfect gift for Earl. "What do you get someone who has everything?" he wonders. (Earl is the proud owner of a bowl, bed and chewy toy.) Mooch mulls it over (red and black dots and bubbles indicate his deep thinking) and comes up with "Nothing! He would give Earl the gift of nothing." But where to find nothing? Mooch tries shopping (because "Millie came home from the store and said, `There was nothing to buy!' "). But alas, "nothing was not for sale." How he solves the problem is pure delight, reminding young readers that the greatest gift is friendship, not things. Both Mutts fans and newcomers will appreciate McDonnell's clever wordplay and lovable characters, who prove that nothing can be everything. All ages. (Oct.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature
The problem of Mooch the cat is what to give his best friend, Earl, who has everything. The answer, obviously, is nothing. In his search for this elusive "nothing," Mooch finds that although people say that there is "nothing" on TV, or "nothing" to buy, there really is quite a lot. It is only back home, however, not even looking, that he finds that "nothing." Wrapping it in a big box, since Earl deserves a lot, he takes it to his friend's. Together they can enjoy "nothing, and everything." Playing on just a few words per page, McDonnell manages to convey the elusive concept of "nothing" while including the strong feelings of a well-meaning friend. The black-and-white drawings with touches of pink—and the cat and dog from the artist's comic strip Mutts—are almost lost on the white pages with their minimal backgrounds and spare detail. Mooch is the appealing star, as we find our emotions surprisingly involved. McDonnell's few black strokes combine effectively to illuminate the search as we ponder the philosophy underneath the simple tale. Check the contrasting jacket and cover. 2005, Little Brown and Company, Ages 6 up.
—Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz
School Library Journal
Gr 1-4-This story features characters from McDonnell's comic strip "Mutts." Mooch (a cat) wants to give Earl (a dog) a gift, but he already has a bowl, a bed, and even a chewy toy. In fact, "he [has] it ALL." In a flash of inspiration, Mooch decides to give him nothing, and sets out to find it. Though the kids say there is "nothing to do," they always seem to be doing something. And even though Millie says "there [is] nothing to buy," Mooch finds plenty in the stores. In the end, he wraps a big box with nothing in it and presents it to his friend. "There's nothing here," says Earl. "Nothing-but me and you," Mooch replies. And that's the point. The text is minimal and the small cartoon drawings are executed in black and white with touches of red and surrounded by plenty of white space. As Mooch ponders over his dilemma, he is engulfed by question marks. The picture of the two friends sitting wrapped paw-in-paw as they enjoy "nothing and everything" is charming. A fine vehicle for a one-on-one discussion of the meaning of friendship and gift-giving.-Marianne Saccardi, Norwalk Community College, CT Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Fresh from the comic-strip panels of Mutts, Mooch the cat doesn't know what to get his best friend Earl the dog on a certain "special day." Earl has everything: dish, chewy toy and a bed. Then inspiration strikes. "Nothing" is the perfect gift for someone with everything . . . but where to find it? Mooch has heard his people say there's "nothing" on TV-but something's always on. He hears there's "nothing" at the stores-but there's plenty of everything. After a moment of Kitty Zen, Mooch wraps up a big empty box and presents it to Earl. " 'There's nothing here,' said Earl. / 'Yesh!' said Mooch. 'Nothing . . . / but me and you.' " And the two of them enjoy nothing-and everything-together. A perfect meditation on gift giving and friendship, this is a great present for the Type-A hoarder in your life. It will do double duty as a conversation starter for older kids at storytime. (Picture book. 5+)

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780316054416
  • Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
  • Publication date: 10/7/2009
  • Edition description: Special Edition
  • Pages: 56
  • Sales rank: 488,681
  • Age range: 5 - 8 Years
  • Product dimensions: 7.80 (w) x 7.10 (h) x 0.60 (d)

Meet the Author

Patrick McDonnell
Patrick McDonnell

Patrick McDonnell is the creator of the Mutts comic strip, which recently celebrated its tenth anniversary. He has illustrated for the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Reader's Digest, Time, Parents, and other journals, done CD covers for the Greatest Hit classical music series, and created a license plate for his home state of New Jersey. Patrick has been hailed as "the next Charles Schulz," sits on the board of directors of the Humane Society of the United States, and has won numerous awards for both Mutts and his animal welfare work. He is the co-author of Krazy Kat: The Comic Art of George Herriman and also contributed a story to Little Lit: It Was a Dark and Silly Night, edited by Art Spiegelman and Francine Mouly (HarperCollins, 2003). This is his first children's book.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 32 )

Rating Distribution

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(22)

4 Star

(3)

3 Star

(6)

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(1)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 32 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 19, 2007

    Nothing bad to say...

    I was browsing through the children's book to find new additions for my classroom library. The Gift of Nothing caught my attention and after reading it.... I am in love. I purchased one copy for each of my adult siblings. It has such a wonderful message. Loved it!!

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 20, 2010

    Cute

    Wonderful story with a life lesson to treasure. Excellent for the child in all of us and a great gift for that person you love and has everything

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 18, 2010

    A good choice

    Bought this for my nine year old niece. I have never read the book before, myself, but from reading the reviews it seemed like a good choice and maybe something that might teach a deeper lesson compared to other books. I'm sure she will enjoy it.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 6, 2010

    A Perfect Gift for the Person Who Has Everything

    This book is heartwarming for people of all ages. Simple to read, cute illustrations, and a message at the end that gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling which is sure to bring on a smile. It is the perfect gift for that person who has everything, and doesn't really need anything.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 6, 2010

    unique Christmas story

    Tired of retellings of Rudolph, the little drummer boy, and Frosty? This is a simple story that has a good lesson and an amusing play on words. It won't be your only Christmas book, but it's a great addition. (Other recommendations: Auntie Claus and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.)

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted December 27, 2009

    ANOTHER GOOD BOOK from PATRICK McDONNELL

    What can I say it's done by Patrick McDonnell love his books and the characters. Check out his other books you will love them !!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 9, 2007

    FUN!

    I bought this book for three different people and I still have to go back and buy myself one. The first day that I purchased it I had six people read it and they all loved it and wanted to know where I got it. A easy, fun read. It's a children's' book, but I as well as other adults really enjoy it. Cute, fun, and entertaining. You'll be able to relate.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 2, 2007

    Book for all ages

    This book is a fantastic gift and/or friendly reminder of the important things in life that have nothing to do with money and material things, but everything to do with true friendship and love. It is a book for all ages and an absolutely fantastic gift!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 19, 2005

    The True Story of Friendship!

    This was such a great book with a heart warming story of two friends, and the true story of friendship. If you love the comic strip 'Mutts' then this is a must have book for anyone of any age!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 31, 2010

    A great book-

    This is a great book for people of many ages. My children received this book as a gift and i am glad they did. In a society that is so very materialistic, this is a great book to bring people back to reality. The Gift of Nothing is a true gift for all and it should be read in every household. The illustrations are adorable and it is a cute book with little words but a big message. I highly recommend this book, you will fall in love with the illustrations that are unique.

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  • Posted May 16, 2010

    Delightful!

    My 102 year old friend was given this book for her birthday in April
    I thought it was delightful. My husband agreed! What is better than the gift of yourself and your time.

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  • Posted November 21, 2009

    Gift of Nothing

    I re-read this book to my son, who is now eight, when I feel he needs to be re-grounded on the important things in life. I've also given it numerous time as a gift to close friends. It's just a sweet, simple message that makes a lot of sense!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 11, 2009

    For those who have everything and nothing

    I gave this as a Christmas gift to my aunt who lost a lot over the last year, just to remind her of the things she still has and the friendship we share. She opened the book and read it aloud; the entire family sat captivated. It is a beautiful book.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 3, 2008

    Charming and Profound

    When this was first published, I gave as many copies as I could afford for Christmas. I can't think of a better gift - even though it is about the gift of nothing! However, think of it as a gift of love and wisdom, and certainly, a gift that keeps on giving, as the charm remains fresh. The drawings are so touching, especially if you already love Mooch and Earl. This is a true classic.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 13, 2008

    Amazing!!!

    The cutest and best childrens book i have ever come across. I got this from my Bestfriend for my 19th birthday in response to my stubbornness for getting gifts. but a great book with an excellent message. i would reccomend to anyone.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 16, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 16, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 29, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 25, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 25, 2011

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