The Book About Nothing

Gr 1–3—A book, quite literally, about nothing. The conceit is maintained from the endpapers (they are filled with nothing words like: zot, naught, zip, nil, zilch, nada, diddly squat) to the author bio: "Nothing really inspired him to write this book." Fans of B.J. Novak's The Book With No Pictures will be glad to see another inspired breaking of the fourth wall, though the "even nothing is something" concept here is quite a bit more complex (not to mention, arguably false), jumping headfirst off the edge of logic that the well-known "Something from Nothing" tale teeters so precariously on. A variety of fonts in different sizes and colors as well as creative word placement assist readers and highlight Bender's quirky sense of humor. A riff more than a story arc that builds to a climax, the biggest laughs will likely come from the underwear and poop bits. Murphy's black line drawings on mostly white pages are reminiscent of Shel Silverstein's style. A minimalist splash of color here and there complement the purposely overstated text and indicate that the book is intended for a more sophisticated audience—extending its reach beyond that of a typical picture book.