It Ain't All for Nothin': A Novel of Family, Faith, and Choosing Right When Life Gets Hard

by Walter Dean Myers, Joel Peter Johnson (Illustrator)

Life in Harlem isn't easy, but Tippy and his grandmother are doing okay. Then Grandma Carrie gets sick, and Tippy goes to live with Lonnie, his father. Lonnie's got his own thing going on, and he doesn't have much room in his life for a son he barely knows -- unless, that is, Tippy is willing to walk the far side of the fine line between right and wrong. Grandma Carrie always said if he had Jesus in his heart there wasn't anything to worry about, but sometimes it's not that simple. When the chips are down, will Tippy be able to call for help -- and is there anyone out there who will listen?

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Young Adult

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

pseudonyms:
Stacie Williams
Stacie Johnson

Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He was brought up and went to public school there. He attended Stuyvesant High School until the age of seventeen when he joined the army.

After serving four years in the army, he worked at various jobs and earned a BA from Empire State College. He wrote full time after 1977.

Walter wrote from childhood, first finding success in 1969 when he won the Council on Interracial Books for Children contest, which resulted in the publication of his first book for children, Where Does the Day Go?, by Parent's Magazine Press. He published over seventy books for children and young adults. He received many awards for his work in this field including the Coretta Scott King Award, five times. Two of his books were awarded Newbery Honors. He was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award and the Virginia Hamilton Award. For one of his books, Monster, he received the first Michael Printz Award for Young Adult literature awarded by the American Library Association. Monster and Autobiography of My Dead Brother were selected as National Book Award Finalists.

In addition to the publication of his books, Walter contributed to educational and literary publications. He visited schools to speak to children, teachers, librarians, and parents. For three years he led a writing workshop for children in a school in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Walter Dean Myers was married, had three grown children and lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. He died on July 1, 2014, following a brief illness. He was 76 years old.

Reviews

[Patrick M]

it was a good story with lots of twists and turns.

[Jacqueline Bahena CNCA]

The book, It Ain't All for Nothing is about a boy named Tippy and his grandmother, Carrie. Tippy is living with his grandmother and are both doing great. Until, one day his Grandmother Carrie gets real sick and is needed to go to the hospital. Tippy needs to live with his Father, Loonie.

Tippy's mom passed away a bit after he was born. Lonnie has got his own thing going on with his lady and he doesn't got much room in his life for somebody, not even for his own son. Grandma Carrie always said if Tippy has Jesus in his heart, there was nothing to worry about. But sometimes it's not that simple. You will have to be strong to keep going on.

I enjoyed reading this book because never in my life, I had read a book written by Walter Dean Myers, and I had finally read one and but also enjoyed it. This book can teach you lessons and help you in situations that you need help in. I can connect Grandma Carrie's quote with Gregory Peck's famous quote, “Tough times don't last, tough people do.”

[6elliott.h · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good.I liked how Tippy the main character went through a lot of trials and tribilations with his father. There was parts where Tippy was getting drunk to solve his pain. Tippy father would robb banks and do bad things and put Tippy in the middle of it. What i liked about the book was that Tippy went on a lot of adventures. He discovered alot of things about his dad. But what i didnt like about the book was the fact that Tippy cried and was bieng a punk the story. Walter Dean Myers made Tippy cry to many times he should of made Tippy enventually man up to his hard times.

[Noor · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It Ain't All for Nothin'" by Walter Dean Myers is about a twelve year old boy named tippy who lives with his grandma. His grandma gets sick and now tippy has to spend time with his abusive father Lonnie. I liked this book because it was realistic and it showed that life can be as hard for kids as it is for adults. Another good thing in the book was that throughout the story Tippy goes through a lot of different experiences that define him, he learns from these experiences and this helps the author develop tippy's character in a very interesting way. Overall its a great book that deals with very important issues and if you compare tippy with Lonnie you realize how some kids can be tougher and bigger as a person than adults.

[HG · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book " IT ain't all for for Nothin" is a book that has a lot of meaning. It shows a lot of detail and you will get very connected to Tippy. You will follow Tippy as he does funny and bad things through out the story. If you read this book you like serious books but there also is a little humor in it.

[Chelsea Coca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Homer Pajares · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read. Read this in high school and the story never left me.

[Jonah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors message about It ain’t all for Nothing is well that it ain’t all for nothing. In this book the main character Tippy experiences many hardships and throughout the book he has to think that it ain’t all for nothing. This book takes place in Harlem New York City. In Harlem it is very busy and there is a lot of crime and it is not a very nice place to live because of all the crime and poverty. The book starts when the main character, Tippy’s grandmother, Carrie, that he lives with gets sick. Tippy then has to live with his dad, Lonnie who is an irresponsible drunk who has been in prison before. His dad also has two friends Bubba and Stone who are also irresponsible drunks and aren’t exactly good role models. During this book Lonnie commits a lot of crime but Tippy also does bad and illegal stuff to. When Tippy lived with his grandmother him and his grandmother never did anything illegal and they were both very religious Christians.
It ain’t all for Nothing is a very good book with lots of sadness and action. Here is an example from the text, "Then I saw Lonnie and Jackie come walking up and Lonnie had the guard uniform and Bubba was walking across the street it was like a movie. When they all got together I couldn’t hear nothing, but I saw the men give a little jump and Bubba pushed one of the men. Then the car came up and I heard some shooting." In that seen Lonnie, Bubba, Stone, and this girl named Jackie are committing an armed robbery. This book is really good and I think about it whenever I am in a tough situation, I just think it ain’t all for nothing. This is definitely one of the best books I have ever read and there is not a person out there wouldn’t recommend it to, because it has got a lot of emotion but not too much emotion, and action and fast-paced moments.

[Armen Hartoonian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tippy is the main character of the book and is a young boy who is living with his grandmother, Carrie. Tippy's mother died when he was born and his father Lonnie doesn't live with him and isn't involved in his life. Despite the fact that Lonnie doesn't live that far away he still doesn't make contact with his son. Everything is going fine until one day Grandma Carrie has to go to the hospital. Carrie gives Tippy welfare money and is instructed to get groceries for himself and then go to his father to tell him about her in the hospital.

Tippy goes to his father's apartment to inform him of his grandmother in the hospital. Tippy is soon thrust into having to live with his father, which at first seemed like a bad idea to Lonnie because he, plain and simple just didn't want him around. Lonnie soon finds himself able to receive welfare checks to help care for Tippy. Being a not so successful man Lonnie changes his mind about having Tippy around due to the fact that he is able to recieve money for having him there. The reason I gave this book a 3/5 stars is because I felt the story wasn't that original and it was kind of slow. However the book was very well written and the characters were very well done.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “It Ain’t All For Nothin’”, Walter Dean Myers tells the story of a respectful, young boy named Tippy who lives with his Grandma Carrie. When Grandma Carrie suddenly falls ill and has to go to the hospital, Tippy is forced to live with his troublemaking father whom he has not seen in years. When Tippy moves in with Lonnie, he is immediately taken aback at how different life is with Lonnie rather than life with Grandma Carrie. Tippy begins to feel depressed when he understands the lifestyle that his father lives. This lifestyle includes having untrustworthy friends over frequently and drinking in excess. Lonnie does not seem to even acknowledge Tippy’s presence; he acts as if he never even brought Tippy home with him. Lonnie’s alcoholism greatly affects his personality – he becomes abusive when he drinks. Throughout the book, Tippy is abused numerous times by Lonnie. In some circumstances, Tippy is hit so hard, so many times that he actually vomits. Tippy can only sit there and take the abuse and he must make the decision to accept his father for who he is or take a stand.

*The ending did not seem too satisfying as there was no resolution with Grandma Carrie's health, but a good read nonetheless.

[Proudly Mexican(Cris/bowser) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a boy named Tippy who lives in Harlem with his grandmother Carrie. He and his grandma are doing okay. Suddenly, his grandma gets sick and has to stay at a hospital. During she's there, Tippy has to live with his father Lonnie. At first Tippy thinks that he is addicted to drugs, but then he finds out how his father really is.
Lonnie gets money by checks, but one time a check comes late and Lonnie really needs money. So Tippy, Lonnie, and Lonnie's friends, Stone, Bubba, and Dennise decide to steal money from a rich guy. When they all had the money, the police come and arrest Lonnie and Stone. When Lonnie is in jail, Tippy finds out how Lonnie really is and what his intentions are.
I give this book 4 stars because it really is full of suspense. When I read the part about when they decide to steal money from the rich guy, I thought that Tippy wasn't going to do it. Also when Lonnie is in jail I thought Lonnie was going to be mad at Tippy.

[Khalid · Rating 4 out of 5]

It Ain't All for Nothin' by Walter Dean Myers book was a really sad story because about a kid that was rejected by his parents. But he was able to live with his grandmother and she took good care of him. Soon his grandma got sick and she died from cancer. Then the kid was taken into custody by his father and that was when his life changed. The father got his own son hooked on whiskey and cigarettes and he would beat him. THE CRAZY PART WAS THAT WHEN THEY STARTED TO GET A GOOD relationship the kid's father went to jail for robbing a bank. I love this book I recommend it to anyone.

[Kobe Mccoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a very interesting book. Its conflict is that Tippy's grandmother gets sick and he has to live with his father. This is similar to another book I read where the father takes his soon across the country. One difference is that in this book Tippy has to live with his father. In the other book the child chooses to go with his father. Also in this book his dad is doing illegal things. In the other book he was on the run for doing something illegal. However this book Tippy does illegal things to.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walter Dean Myers draws the reader attention with another one of his hit books. This book was about a boy who lives with his grandmother because his grandmother is a crack addict. His grandmother gets sick and is in the hospital were he had to move in with his father who is some type of big time thief! I remember reading this book over and over again every year and pasting the book around in class to show other scholars how great the book was.

[Tiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

so far pretty good. tippy is a smart twelve year old boy that lives with his grandma. he helps her around the house and even has a job to help support them.little by little tippys grandma gets sick. she is old and sick that they keep her in the hospital.tippy is forced to live with his dad lonnie. lonnie isnt happy that tippy is staying with him until he finds out that he can get welfare checks to support tippy. this changes lonnie's attitude towards tippy.

[Tamia]

What I liked about this book is that this book will have you wanting more. The was sad at the same time. The book was basically was about a boy who lost his mother a birth and struggling with is sick grandmother and currently has to live with his father that barely knows.everyone should read this book. This is one of my favorite books.

[Alex Mcdivitt]

10-10 im only on page 11 so far i think this book is to sad its not to exciting

11-21 i got back into reading this book. im really liking this book,i like how this boy has to do all of this stuff for his grandmother while she in the hospital! and one of the things he has to do is to vist his father and it dose not turn out that well i thought that was every interesting.

[Misareilys8f carrasquillo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is mad good I really liked this book it got my attention. This book is about a young boy who's grandma gets ill and he is trying to start a new life with his father that he never really new.

[William Hunter]

This is a good book and very entertaining.I am eager to read this because i wanna know whats going to happen at the end of the story. My expectations is his grandmom is going to get better.I also think the boy is going to talk to his dad. they are going to be very close.

[Janice Cafarelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a heart breaking book to read. It bothered me that this could actually be the kind of life some children are leading now days. It was very insightful of the kind of struggle some children have trying to be a decent person put in dangerous situations.

[Tymia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great...It's very fun to read and it has very goood characters.

[Kimberly8f · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is really good. I learned that theres more to life then money and thats true to me.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is very interresting because this boy was very poor and he had to move with his fater again because his grandmother was sick and his father put himt o steal and he use to beat him

[Asaf Markowitz]

very interesting to read. this book helped me understand some of the lifestyles of children with deadbeat parents or parents that are convicts.

[Daniel Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lonnie was thinking about stealing again. His grandmother is in the hospital. Lonnie does not know his father.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Walter Dean Myers. Would have given this book 5 stars, but it is one of his early books, & I am 30 years older than his target audience.

[Terrence.712 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really sad.

[Aaron Smi]

awesome book