The Gift of Nothing

I read this a long time ago, and today, as I was cleaning out and reorganising my bookshelf, I read it again.

God, it's good.

For a rather simply illustrated book with animal characters and not much going on, it packs a really incredible emotional punch- this thing made me cry. I think it's a book that many more people should read, especially now that we're nearing the holiday season; in a world of so much something, so many of us have forgotten the joy of nothing.

This is a perfect, adorable, and heartwarming book.

Plot: Mooch wants to get his best friend Earl a present for his special day, but he can’t think of anything that Earl needs. He decides that the best gift for Earl is the gift of nothing. (Mooch and Earl are dogs)

My reaction: An adorable and very Zen message: we are surrounded by stuff” and sometimes the best gift to give to someone you love is quality time. The illustrations are simplistic and perfectly match the message.

Recommended Age Level: 3-6

Cute fable.  I hope it has/ will teach the lesson it intends, that 'stuff' isn't as important as simple friendship.  But I dunno if it will.  Surely I'm not the only reader who has trouble making out what's going on in the pictures.  This book is more clear than the strips, which I cannot read at all, but it's still full of tiny scribbly bits.

I love this book. On the back flap it says this is a Zen message.

I’m not getting a religious undertone. I do not see a particular holiday denoted. This is a lovely message of the importance of love and fellowship as the best gifts.

Mooch the cat tries to think of a gift to give his friend Earl the dog--a guy who has everything. Deciding to give Earl nothing, Mooch looks all over for some 'nothing.' The solution is delightful and sweet, and reinforces how special friendship is.

This is a wonderful story about how sometimes the best thing to get someone for their birthday is no "thing" at all. I love how the author gets the story across without using a ton of words--the text is nice and concise. My only slight disappointment is the style of illustrations. I know they're his trademark, but the small, 3-color illustrations don't always hold the interest of the youngest picture book audience.

I think very cute and an excellent message, I think it sort of flies of younger children's heads, though. Mooch wants to get his friend Earl the perfect Christmas present. He decides the gift of nothing would be perfect beacuse he has everything. First he has a hard time finding nothing and then Earl doesn't understand the gift of nothing. Just the gift of being together.