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Not Nothing
"The book we all need at the time we all need it.” —Katherine Applegate, Newbery Award–winning author of The One and Only Ivan
In this middle grade novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Gayle Forman, a boy who has been assigned to spend his summer volunteering at a senior living facility learns unexpected lessons that change the trajectory of his life.
To say Alex has had it rough is an understatement. His father’s gone, his mother is struggling with mental health issues, and he’s now living with an aunt and uncle who are less than excited to have him. Almost everyone treats him as though he doesn’t matter at all, like he’s nothing.
So when a kid at school actually tells him he’s nothing, Alex snaps, and gets violent. Fortunately, his social worker pulls some strings and gets him a job at a nursing home for the summer rather than being sent to juvie. There, he meets Josey, the 107-year-old Holocaust survivor who stopped bothering to talk years ago, and Maya-Jade, the granddaughter of one of the residents with an overblown sense of importance.
Unlike Alex, Maya-Jade believes that people care about what she thinks, and that she can make a difference. And when Alex and Josey form an unlikely bond, with Josey confiding in him, Alex starts to believe he can make a difference—a good difference—in the world. If he can truly feel he matters, Alex may be able to finally rise to the occasion of his own life.
In this middle grade novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Gayle Forman, a boy who has been assigned to spend his summer volunteering at a senior living facility learns unexpected lessons that change the trajectory of his life.
To say Alex has had it rough is an understatement. His father’s gone, his mother is struggling with mental health issues, and he’s now living with an aunt and uncle who are less than excited to have him. Almost everyone treats him as though he doesn’t matter at all, like he’s nothing.
So when a kid at school actually tells him he’s nothing, Alex snaps, and gets violent. Fortunately, his social worker pulls some strings and gets him a job at a nursing home for the summer rather than being sent to juvie. There, he meets Josey, the 107-year-old Holocaust survivor who stopped bothering to talk years ago, and Maya-Jade, the granddaughter of one of the residents with an overblown sense of importance.
Unlike Alex, Maya-Jade believes that people care about what she thinks, and that she can make a difference. And when Alex and Josey form an unlikely bond, with Josey confiding in him, Alex starts to believe he can make a difference—a good difference—in the world. If he can truly feel he matters, Alex may be able to finally rise to the occasion of his own life.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 27, 2024
113 people are currently reading
8324 people want to read
About the author
Gayle Forman
42 books25.1k followersAward-winning author and journalist Gayle Forman has written several bestselling novels for young adults, including the Just One Series, I Was Here, Where She Went and the #1 New York Times bestseller If I Stay, which has been translated into more than 40 languages and in 2014 was adapted into a major motion picture.
Gayle published Leave Me, her first novel starring adults in 2016 and her latest novel, I Have Lost My Way, comes out in March of 2018.
Gayle lives with her husband and daughters in Brooklyn.
Gayle published Leave Me, her first novel starring adults in 2016 and her latest novel, I Have Lost My Way, comes out in March of 2018.
Gayle lives with her husband and daughters in Brooklyn.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 521 reviews
August 19, 2024
✰ 2.75 stars ✰
“ ... Alex to be judged not for the worst thing he’s done but for the better things he’s done this summer, the best things he might yet do.”
Twelve-year-old Alex has committed an atrocious crime that rather than be sent to juvie for his disorderly conduct, is sentenced to community service at the Shady Glen Retirement Village all summer five days a week. It's bad enough that he has been placed in the foster care of his aunt and uncle, who make it perfectly clear that they have no desire to keep him - an unnecessary burden in their lives after his mother could no longer care for him, as she struggles with her own mental health. 'This was supposed to be opportunity? Balderdash. This was punishment.' 😢 Distrustful and resentful and intent on making the worst of his time here, he does not intend on befriending Maya-Jade, a girl his own age who is volunteering alongside her Grandmother. He also never intended on catching the interest of one of their residents 107-year-old Joseph Kravitz, a Holocaust survivor who stopped speaking to anyone many years ago. But, what is it about the boy that awakens a spark in Josey - a desire to finally speak out and make a connection with another - to finally be a beacon of light and humility for one who seems to have lost his way. To serve as a reminder that even someone who is Not Nothing can be something. 🙏🏻
“But stitch one small thing to another small thing and another, and eventually you have a tapestry as big as the world.”
How do we make the most of the opportunities that we are given without taking them for granted at the moment that they are given to us? What are the life-affirming lessons that can be learned when ordinary people do extraordinary things during unimaginable times? It is the lesson that Josey's memories of his harrowing days during the wake of World War II, as he meets his first love - his wife - and the dangers they both face as Nazi occupation starts to gain momentum, and those helpless and innocent Jews who are forced into concentration camps. 💔😟 It is a heart-breaking storyline that correlates with Alex in present-day, where the stories he shares evoke in him an understanding and acknowledgment of how wrong his actions were to end up here. It is with conviction and heart that Josey relays his past to reach that part of Alex that has been closed off, due to how miserable his own life has been. To realize that he is above being that person who will subjugate others to ill-treatment. It is a harsh lesson, but an awakening and important one. 🫂💟
“Sometimes you had to do the wrong thing to do the right thing.”
I liked seeing Alex slowly assimilate into the nursing home; how through Josey's patience and stories, he starts to make connections with the community, foster friendships with the residents, and also start to care about others - a compassion that seemed to have been erased from his heart, because of his troubled childhood. I liked that he started to feel that he was worth someone's time - that he was more than just the wrong parts of himself, but had more to offer this world - that there was some good to him - that he was capable of someone's love and time. 'And the boy had. Maybe he had a little magic in him after all.' 🥺 I liked how Josey taught him to forgive himself - to show acts of mercy towards others and not judge so harshly without knowing the story behind someone's existence. Josey's own love and struggle to save his loved ones was beautifully written. World War II stories always break my heart and the efforts that he went through - the losses he felt - the grief he shared - it was captured vividly and poignantly to see how we test ourselves in the most trying of moments to push our limits to do what is right. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
I wonder, though, if the past memories could have been depicted differently. The shift in timeline sometimes created an imbalance that made it harder to stay in the present, especially for the writing style the author adopted to write that. The third-person-point of view of 107-year-old Josey relaying the story, addressing Alex simply as the boy was a struggle to get used to at first. It made the story feel less personal and more of a story being told to a you - whose identity was revealed later. While it was a different approach, I think it detracted from the overall emotional connection between the reader and the characters. I was not able to get the full impact of Alex's feelings and expressions, this way. 😞
“What happens when we don’t judge someone solely for the worst thing that they’ve done but give the space and grace and yes, opportunity, to do a better thing, even a best thing?”
The above words from the author truly define the story. While I do feel that the message is important - the value in life and the importance of existence. To not feel that even the smallest of actions is unworthy of significance - I do. However, I felt that the author attempted to cram in too many themes into one setting that overall affected any one of them making a solid impact. 😥 To even compare the cause of Alex's grave misdemeanor to that of the Holocaust, was already one that had me a bit confused. 'But hate was hate. What difference did it make where it came from?' Yes, that is true, but the reason why Alex was assigned to community service still caught me off guard.
I felt that it was the wrong reason to connect to a Holocaust survivor, as I felt that both heinous acts were not on the same level. 🥺 If it is about hatred towards a significant community, racism could have been more believable, rather than having it be the one that she chose to do. As much as I sympathized with Alex's troubled family life, to compare his crime of hatred to that of the extremities of World War II seemed wrong. I appreciate the lessons he learned from his experience at the nursing home and it would eventually help him be a better person, but the author was attempting to push down too many storylines into one story, and it failed to allow any one story to be impactful. 😕
The author seems to have a more solid YA impact, so perhaps I should have given one of those a go before reading their middle grade stories. But, as my first attempt with this author, I don't think that it was too bad a read, so there is that. 👍🏻
*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
“ ... Alex to be judged not for the worst thing he’s done but for the better things he’s done this summer, the best things he might yet do.”
Twelve-year-old Alex has committed an atrocious crime that rather than be sent to juvie for his disorderly conduct, is sentenced to community service at the Shady Glen Retirement Village all summer five days a week. It's bad enough that he has been placed in the foster care of his aunt and uncle, who make it perfectly clear that they have no desire to keep him - an unnecessary burden in their lives after his mother could no longer care for him, as she struggles with her own mental health. 'This was supposed to be opportunity? Balderdash. This was punishment.' 😢 Distrustful and resentful and intent on making the worst of his time here, he does not intend on befriending Maya-Jade, a girl his own age who is volunteering alongside her Grandmother. He also never intended on catching the interest of one of their residents 107-year-old Joseph Kravitz, a Holocaust survivor who stopped speaking to anyone many years ago. But, what is it about the boy that awakens a spark in Josey - a desire to finally speak out and make a connection with another - to finally be a beacon of light and humility for one who seems to have lost his way. To serve as a reminder that even someone who is Not Nothing can be something. 🙏🏻
“But stitch one small thing to another small thing and another, and eventually you have a tapestry as big as the world.”
How do we make the most of the opportunities that we are given without taking them for granted at the moment that they are given to us? What are the life-affirming lessons that can be learned when ordinary people do extraordinary things during unimaginable times? It is the lesson that Josey's memories of his harrowing days during the wake of World War II, as he meets his first love - his wife - and the dangers they both face as Nazi occupation starts to gain momentum, and those helpless and innocent Jews who are forced into concentration camps. 💔😟 It is a heart-breaking storyline that correlates with Alex in present-day, where the stories he shares evoke in him an understanding and acknowledgment of how wrong his actions were to end up here. It is with conviction and heart that Josey relays his past to reach that part of Alex that has been closed off, due to how miserable his own life has been. To realize that he is above being that person who will subjugate others to ill-treatment. It is a harsh lesson, but an awakening and important one. 🫂💟
“Sometimes you had to do the wrong thing to do the right thing.”
I liked seeing Alex slowly assimilate into the nursing home; how through Josey's patience and stories, he starts to make connections with the community, foster friendships with the residents, and also start to care about others - a compassion that seemed to have been erased from his heart, because of his troubled childhood. I liked that he started to feel that he was worth someone's time - that he was more than just the wrong parts of himself, but had more to offer this world - that there was some good to him - that he was capable of someone's love and time. 'And the boy had. Maybe he had a little magic in him after all.' 🥺 I liked how Josey taught him to forgive himself - to show acts of mercy towards others and not judge so harshly without knowing the story behind someone's existence. Josey's own love and struggle to save his loved ones was beautifully written. World War II stories always break my heart and the efforts that he went through - the losses he felt - the grief he shared - it was captured vividly and poignantly to see how we test ourselves in the most trying of moments to push our limits to do what is right. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
I wonder, though, if the past memories could have been depicted differently. The shift in timeline sometimes created an imbalance that made it harder to stay in the present, especially for the writing style the author adopted to write that. The third-person-point of view of 107-year-old Josey relaying the story, addressing Alex simply as the boy was a struggle to get used to at first. It made the story feel less personal and more of a story being told to a you - whose identity was revealed later. While it was a different approach, I think it detracted from the overall emotional connection between the reader and the characters. I was not able to get the full impact of Alex's feelings and expressions, this way. 😞
“What happens when we don’t judge someone solely for the worst thing that they’ve done but give the space and grace and yes, opportunity, to do a better thing, even a best thing?”
The above words from the author truly define the story. While I do feel that the message is important - the value in life and the importance of existence. To not feel that even the smallest of actions is unworthy of significance - I do. However, I felt that the author attempted to cram in too many themes into one setting that overall affected any one of them making a solid impact. 😥 To even compare the cause of Alex's grave misdemeanor to that of the Holocaust, was already one that had me a bit confused. 'But hate was hate. What difference did it make where it came from?' Yes, that is true, but the reason why Alex was assigned to community service still caught me off guard.
I felt that it was the wrong reason to connect to a Holocaust survivor, as I felt that both heinous acts were not on the same level. 🥺 If it is about hatred towards a significant community, racism could have been more believable, rather than having it be the one that she chose to do. As much as I sympathized with Alex's troubled family life, to compare his crime of hatred to that of the extremities of World War II seemed wrong. I appreciate the lessons he learned from his experience at the nursing home and it would eventually help him be a better person, but the author was attempting to push down too many storylines into one story, and it failed to allow any one story to be impactful. 😕
The author seems to have a more solid YA impact, so perhaps I should have given one of those a go before reading their middle grade stories. But, as my first attempt with this author, I don't think that it was too bad a read, so there is that. 👍🏻
*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2024
One of the best Y.A. books I’ve ever read.
A young boy of twelve has endured a lot in his short life. Moving around with his mom to 14 different places, watching her mentally decline during COVID lockdown, and then having her walk out of rehab has torn him up. Anger, extreme anger, has become his default mode, and one day, a kid at school unthinkingly triggers it and everything blows to pieces…
Encouraging, uplifting themes about the power of forgiveness and true friendship. The Holocaust story that is told in segments in the voice of a 107-year-old survivor, in the setting of a nursing home in present time, is truly heart-breaking. It takes this coming-of-age story about a troubled pre-teen to a different level of inspiration…
This book should be in every classroom, everywhere.
A young boy of twelve has endured a lot in his short life. Moving around with his mom to 14 different places, watching her mentally decline during COVID lockdown, and then having her walk out of rehab has torn him up. Anger, extreme anger, has become his default mode, and one day, a kid at school unthinkingly triggers it and everything blows to pieces…
Encouraging, uplifting themes about the power of forgiveness and true friendship. The Holocaust story that is told in segments in the voice of a 107-year-old survivor, in the setting of a nursing home in present time, is truly heart-breaking. It takes this coming-of-age story about a troubled pre-teen to a different level of inspiration…
This book should be in every classroom, everywhere.
October 12, 2024
BOOK: Not Nothing
AUTHOR: Gayle Forman
PUB DATE: August 27, 2024, by Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing
PAGES: 288
RATING: 5 STARS
GENRE: Fiction
A H U G E Thank You to @netgalley, @SimonandSchusterChildrensPublishing, and the author for gifting me an advanced digital in exchange for my honest review!
QUICK & SPOILER-FREE REVIEW: Oh, my HEART! This book is so SPECIAL! The friendship between Josey and Alex hits you right in your feels! It teaches the reader how to Rise to the Occasion of Your Life, and it supports the idea of not judging a person based off the worst thing they’ve done, but to support them for what they CAN do! This was so good I want to buy it for all my friends and family. It will stay with me for a long while. Run and read this one!
AUTHOR: Gayle Forman
PUB DATE: August 27, 2024, by Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing
PAGES: 288
RATING: 5 STARS
GENRE: Fiction
A H U G E Thank You to @netgalley, @SimonandSchusterChildrensPublishing, and the author for gifting me an advanced digital in exchange for my honest review!
QUICK & SPOILER-FREE REVIEW: Oh, my HEART! This book is so SPECIAL! The friendship between Josey and Alex hits you right in your feels! It teaches the reader how to Rise to the Occasion of Your Life, and it supports the idea of not judging a person based off the worst thing they’ve done, but to support them for what they CAN do! This was so good I want to buy it for all my friends and family. It will stay with me for a long while. Run and read this one!
December 21, 2024
I did not expect this book to make me cry, but it did. It reminded me a lot of The Lost Year because it has two parallel stories. One is historical and one is contemporary.
The audiobook was great. The narrator's voice kind of gives away something that may be a surprise in the print edition: .
At the end, there's an author's note about how GF wanted to tell a story about someone who seems like a villain getting the opportunity to "rise to the occasion of his life." It's a story about second chances and third chances. It's about how tragic it is to give up on someone, especially a young person.
The audiobook was great. The narrator's voice kind of gives away something that may be a surprise in the print edition: .
At the end, there's an author's note about how GF wanted to tell a story about someone who seems like a villain getting the opportunity to "rise to the occasion of his life." It's a story about second chances and third chances. It's about how tragic it is to give up on someone, especially a young person.
October 1, 2024
This book had too many ideas to execute them well. This read like a checklist of things. Gay parents, mentally ill mother, hate crime, trans social worker, and the Holocaust.
The first part of the book I really liked but the second half had to rush through everything that overall it fell flat.
I was also disappointed that this child had such anger management problems he took a bat to another child and there was no mention of therapy.
I did like that this book was set in a nursing home and that it showed that the residents are still people!
The first part of the book I really liked but the second half had to rush through everything that overall it fell flat.
I was also disappointed that this child had such anger management problems he took a bat to another child and there was no mention of therapy.
I did like that this book was set in a nursing home and that it showed that the residents are still people!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2024
We absolutely need more of this inter-generational relationship in middle grade literature. That being said, I think this particular story would be better understood by readers 9th or 10th grade and above.
I can’t put this one on my shelves, but I did enjoy reading it.
I can’t put this one on my shelves, but I did enjoy reading it.
September 20, 2024
This book held so much promise, in that both Alex and Josey were likable characters with many struggles & regrets. Then, the book began to read like a DEI checklist … sigh.
February 16, 2025
This is a powerful book. Make sure you read the author’s note at the end.
May 10, 2025
I knew this book would make me feel. Make me emotional. Make me cry and all the things that come along with a crying me. Still I read it…yes, read it, with my eyes, not my ears. Truly an accomplishment for me at this time in my life. Yay me!
I will come back to this with my thoughts in a bit…I think. I know you are supposed to allow yourself to feel your feelings and all of that, but I just kind of don’t want to right now. So I am going to eat a chewy chocolate chip granola bar made out of a lot of vegetable stuff, pretend it’s a candy bar, and listen to something that will hopefully make me not feel so emotionally overloaded because when I am from a book, I tend ramble on and on (like now) and overshare personal details on here and forget that pretty much anyone can read what I am writing and well I start not talking about the book and act like this is a journal, forget what the heck I am trying to say and then have to come back and edit most of the review out when I remember that I rambled and overshared. It’s ridiculous.
***correction, chocolate chip soft baked oat bar. Not a chewy granola bar. Still has all of the vegetable stuff in it. And by stuff I mean extracts, according to the wrapper. May as well be correct about it all*** see what I mean about the emotional rambling that has nothing to do with the book!!??🤦🏼♀️.
5/10/25
12 year old Alex is sentenced to volunteer at a retirement home for the summer. What did he do that he was so bad a judge needed to hand down a sentence to him? We don’t find out until later in the story. When we do, will your entire opinion and view of him change? Will you judge him based on this one terrible thing and forget all of the good he has done?
At first Alex doesn’t like coming here, but he soon meets Josey, 107 years old, who starts telling him a story. His story. As he comes back day after day to listen to Josey’s story, a special bond is formed. He also becomes friends with bossy Maya-Jade.
So many memorable lessons/messages/thought inspiring words are sprinkled in throughout this book. Not only can kids take something away from this book, but adults can as well.
I had written down several quotes from the book, but I think I will share one from the author after the book is finished.
“What happens when we don’t judge someone soley for the worst thing that they’ve done but give them the space and grace and yes, opportunity, to do a better thing, even a best thing?”
I don’t know how I feel about the actual writing. But the messages throughout the book were definitely worth it. And from my initial comments when I finished the book, the story quite clearly made me emotional and a bit sad. But I won’t go back into all of that!!! (You’re welcome😊)
I will come back to this with my thoughts in a bit…I think. I know you are supposed to allow yourself to feel your feelings and all of that, but I just kind of don’t want to right now. So I am going to eat a chewy chocolate chip granola bar made out of a lot of vegetable stuff, pretend it’s a candy bar, and listen to something that will hopefully make me not feel so emotionally overloaded because when I am from a book, I tend ramble on and on (like now) and overshare personal details on here and forget that pretty much anyone can read what I am writing and well I start not talking about the book and act like this is a journal, forget what the heck I am trying to say and then have to come back and edit most of the review out when I remember that I rambled and overshared. It’s ridiculous.
***correction, chocolate chip soft baked oat bar. Not a chewy granola bar. Still has all of the vegetable stuff in it. And by stuff I mean extracts, according to the wrapper. May as well be correct about it all*** see what I mean about the emotional rambling that has nothing to do with the book!!??🤦🏼♀️.
5/10/25
12 year old Alex is sentenced to volunteer at a retirement home for the summer. What did he do that he was so bad a judge needed to hand down a sentence to him? We don’t find out until later in the story. When we do, will your entire opinion and view of him change? Will you judge him based on this one terrible thing and forget all of the good he has done?
At first Alex doesn’t like coming here, but he soon meets Josey, 107 years old, who starts telling him a story. His story. As he comes back day after day to listen to Josey’s story, a special bond is formed. He also becomes friends with bossy Maya-Jade.
So many memorable lessons/messages/thought inspiring words are sprinkled in throughout this book. Not only can kids take something away from this book, but adults can as well.
I had written down several quotes from the book, but I think I will share one from the author after the book is finished.
“What happens when we don’t judge someone soley for the worst thing that they’ve done but give them the space and grace and yes, opportunity, to do a better thing, even a best thing?”
I don’t know how I feel about the actual writing. But the messages throughout the book were definitely worth it. And from my initial comments when I finished the book, the story quite clearly made me emotional and a bit sad. But I won’t go back into all of that!!! (You’re welcome😊)
November 11, 2024
Really interesting third-person (I think?) POV story about a kid who is being judged for the worst thing he’s done. He gets a second chance, and 107-year old Josey slowly recounts his own story during WWII. May require stronger MG readers to follow the plot points and who’s telling the story (and to whom), but a good story!
August 28, 2024
Another moving middle grade novel about second chances, forgiveness, compassion and intergenerational friendship. After twelve year old Alex does something terrible, he gets sentenced by a judge to spend his summer performing community service at Shady Glen, the local retirement home.
There Alex, somewhat surprisingly to everyone, befriends the 107 year old, Josey, a Jewish man who has survived WWII but is ready to die after a long life. As previously silent Josey opens up to Alex and starts sharing his story we get to learn about his incredible life and the woman who saved him.
This was great on audio narrated by Dion Graham who does excellent accents and also includes a touching author's note included at the end read by the author herself. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Joanne Levy and Lois Lowry.
CW: parental addiction, foster care, anger management issues, anti-Semitism
There Alex, somewhat surprisingly to everyone, befriends the 107 year old, Josey, a Jewish man who has survived WWII but is ready to die after a long life. As previously silent Josey opens up to Alex and starts sharing his story we get to learn about his incredible life and the woman who saved him.
This was great on audio narrated by Dion Graham who does excellent accents and also includes a touching author's note included at the end read by the author herself. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Joanne Levy and Lois Lowry.
CW: parental addiction, foster care, anger management issues, anti-Semitism
June 10, 2025
Overall a very moving and powerful story, Not Nothing tells the tale of a boy who has had a less than easy life and made a poor decision as it all came to a head. Thus, he is thrust into the world of community service at a nursing home in which he is not prepared to handle the "zombies" facing him. A talk with a 107 year old man may sound daunting, yet, there may be more than meets the eye between these two. Some parts were written a little cornily, where I felt like I was visualizing a scene out of a cartoon, but then others were masterfully crafted and eloquent to a point where I had tears in my eyes; so that was... interesting? I really did love the purpose behind the book and would recommend to anyone needing a bit of motivation and a reminder that we are never required to peak early.
October 25, 2024
I really enjoyed this young adult book. Alex is a 12 year old boy who attacked another boy who was serving as his math tutor. A judge decides to give him an opportunity to work at an assisted living home for the summer. Alex starts off with a poor attitude, but eventually makes friends with many of the residents, but particularly a Holocaust survivor that is 107 years old. He hasn’t spoken for 5 years, but starts talking to Alex. This friendship turns Alex around.
July 21, 2025
4.5 I have waffled between 5 stars and 4 stars. I may still change my mind.
December 30, 2024
Just a perfect middle grade book! I loved this story of Alex snd his summer of redemption. Some tough topics (gay rights, the Holocaust) so not sure if it’s appropriate for elem kids but it is perfect for middle schoolers.
September 7, 2024
It's been years since I read a Gayle Forman book, so I was a bit worried that I may not still feel the same about her writing. But she did it again! I was an emotional wreck while experiencing this middle grade novel, to the point of sobbing in some spots. I use the word "experiencing" because I listened to the audiobook which, to my utter delight, was narrated by my favorite male narrator, Dion Graham. He brought this book to life so artfully that it became an experience, not just a listen.
If you love a book that makes you feel the characters' emotions in your bones, you will love this one. Be warned, though, you may not want to read it in public. 😭
If you love a book that makes you feel the characters' emotions in your bones, you will love this one. Be warned, though, you may not want to read it in public. 😭
July 18, 2024
raise your hand if you’re the dumbass who picked this up thinking it was going to be a PALATE CLEANSER 🙋🏻♀️
August 4, 2024
There are so many amazing aspects of this book! I think the best is the reminder that judging someone based on their worst day will stop us from seeing them on their best!
September 12, 2024
Really good. I do think kids might be confused a bit that the entire book is being told as almost a letter to a character who is deceased. But other than that, super good.
July 20, 2025
I'm an absolute sucker for feel-good books, especially when they involve healing and intergenerational relationships. I spent my childhood hanging out with older people (namely, my grandparents and their friends), so books that touch on that have a warm place in my heart.
Not Nothing is a heartwarming middle grade story about second chances, becoming our best selves, and the ripples that we leave, whether we meant to or not, by the decisions we make.
I had so many emotions when reading this book. The characters are adorable, and I always root for people to learn from their mistakes and change their lives. There were definitely moments that made me cry.
This one is hard for me to rate, because the first maybe 85% of the book were a solid five-star read and I absolutely loved it! The last 15% of the book made me so mad that it kind of undid a lot of the good feelings from the rest of the book. Ultimately, when I finished reading the last page, I was so frustrated and soured from the ending.
My Thoughts
- Following some very poor life decisions, Alex is assigned to "volunteer" (voluntold?) at a nursing home, which . . . ugh. Old people. Obviously, nothing good can come of it. Alex's initial reaction to the nursing home is funny, adorable, and very accurate to kids his age. There's a lot of initial assumptions taking place, which is fair. A lot of people are guilty of making snap judgments.
Things start to change for Alex when one of the residents, who hasn't spoken in years, starts to tell his story. To Alex, of all people. Alex has no idea why he has been chosen, since he isn't special, but he finds that he not only connects to the story, but he also likes the feeling of having this unique connection with someone.
And can I just say . . . yes. Yes to all of this. Yes to more intergenerational connections in middle grade. Yes to children taking an interest in the past and/or the histories of others. The connection between Alex and the resident, Josey, who is a whopping 107 years young, is heartwarming and beautiful.
- There are some amazing themes here of connecting, understanding, and not assuming, as well as deciding what sort of person you want to be. Even if that means changing from the person that you are. Because second chances are a thing. I absolutely love this theme, especially for middle grade, because let's be honest . . . these kids are gonna make mistakes. I did at that age. You did at that age. Heck, I made mistakes last week. Yesterday, even (probably, although I can't recall any, but I'm sure there's something there.) Mistakes are an entirely human phenomena, and it's important for kids to know that they will make mistakes, but that doesn't make them bad people and it doesn't mean they can't come back from them.
Granted, Alex's mistake is bigger than most. (More on that later.) But at his core, Alex is a good kid. He's a good kid who's been handed a crap life and never learned how to deal with it. But he's learning, little by little, how to help others and become the sort of person he can be proud of.
In her author's note, Forman talks about exploring the idea of not judging someone by their worst mistake, which I think is a really interesting and important theme. The author's note also talks about what makes a not-so-good person become a good (or even heroic) person, which I think is a good idea on paper, but I don't love the idea of calling 12-year-old Alex a bad person (or even a not-so-good person), despite the seriousness of what he's done. (The real sticking point for me here might be that the juxtaposition on the opposite side of Alex in this story is the Holocaust, which . . . there's no comparison there. It's not even remotely close to equivalent circumstances.)
- While this book is less about plot and more about character, it has a lot of heart and kept my attention through the whole thing. There are some characters that I wish had been fleshed out a little bit more, because it feels like we just barely scratched the surface of what we needed to know to make the author's point. However, Alex was such a strong character, and I really enjoyed Josey's story about himself and Olka.
I didn't realize, going in, that this would be a story that involved the Holocaust, but I think it was done in a thoughtful and unique way that focused less on what was happening overall in the world and more on the specifics of how it impacted the lives of these characters., which I appreciated.
Despite tackling a lot of heavy topics, there's also a lot of levity in the book to balance it out, so it's not too overwhelming. I think it would be a book that would benefit from some discussion afterwards to help unpack, but the author does also provide a list of other sources to check out for more information, which I appreciated.
Sticking Points
- The reveal of what Alex did to land him in trouble and earn community service and a court date is so ridiculously icky and poorly handled that it soured my entire experience with the book. We literally spend the entire book with Alex and the ways he treats and interacts with everyone at the retirement home (who, I would like to remind everyone, are all grown adults, with the exception of Maya-Jade), so the way they handle finding out about Alex's crime made me absolutely livid.
The absolutely worst part, for me, was that Alex
While this didn't turn me off the book completely, I don't know that I would actively recommend it to children due to this, versus a similar book. Especially considering Alex's situation could have been handled with proper communication, which sends the wrong message when there's already a positive message regarding communicating that apparently just . . . didn't extend to this.
Not Nothing is a heartwarming middle grade story about second chances, becoming our best selves, and the ripples that we leave, whether we meant to or not, by the decisions we make.
I had so many emotions when reading this book. The characters are adorable, and I always root for people to learn from their mistakes and change their lives. There were definitely moments that made me cry.
This one is hard for me to rate, because the first maybe 85% of the book were a solid five-star read and I absolutely loved it! The last 15% of the book made me so mad that it kind of undid a lot of the good feelings from the rest of the book. Ultimately, when I finished reading the last page, I was so frustrated and soured from the ending.
My Thoughts
- Following some very poor life decisions, Alex is assigned to "volunteer" (voluntold?) at a nursing home, which . . . ugh. Old people. Obviously, nothing good can come of it. Alex's initial reaction to the nursing home is funny, adorable, and very accurate to kids his age. There's a lot of initial assumptions taking place, which is fair. A lot of people are guilty of making snap judgments.
Things start to change for Alex when one of the residents, who hasn't spoken in years, starts to tell his story. To Alex, of all people. Alex has no idea why he has been chosen, since he isn't special, but he finds that he not only connects to the story, but he also likes the feeling of having this unique connection with someone.
And can I just say . . . yes. Yes to all of this. Yes to more intergenerational connections in middle grade. Yes to children taking an interest in the past and/or the histories of others. The connection between Alex and the resident, Josey, who is a whopping 107 years young, is heartwarming and beautiful.
- There are some amazing themes here of connecting, understanding, and not assuming, as well as deciding what sort of person you want to be. Even if that means changing from the person that you are. Because second chances are a thing. I absolutely love this theme, especially for middle grade, because let's be honest . . . these kids are gonna make mistakes. I did at that age. You did at that age. Heck, I made mistakes last week. Yesterday, even (probably, although I can't recall any, but I'm sure there's something there.) Mistakes are an entirely human phenomena, and it's important for kids to know that they will make mistakes, but that doesn't make them bad people and it doesn't mean they can't come back from them.
Granted, Alex's mistake is bigger than most. (More on that later.) But at his core, Alex is a good kid. He's a good kid who's been handed a crap life and never learned how to deal with it. But he's learning, little by little, how to help others and become the sort of person he can be proud of.
In her author's note, Forman talks about exploring the idea of not judging someone by their worst mistake, which I think is a really interesting and important theme. The author's note also talks about what makes a not-so-good person become a good (or even heroic) person, which I think is a good idea on paper, but I don't love the idea of calling 12-year-old Alex a bad person (or even a not-so-good person), despite the seriousness of what he's done. (The real sticking point for me here might be that the juxtaposition on the opposite side of Alex in this story is the Holocaust, which . . . there's no comparison there. It's not even remotely close to equivalent circumstances.)
- While this book is less about plot and more about character, it has a lot of heart and kept my attention through the whole thing. There are some characters that I wish had been fleshed out a little bit more, because it feels like we just barely scratched the surface of what we needed to know to make the author's point. However, Alex was such a strong character, and I really enjoyed Josey's story about himself and Olka.
I didn't realize, going in, that this would be a story that involved the Holocaust, but I think it was done in a thoughtful and unique way that focused less on what was happening overall in the world and more on the specifics of how it impacted the lives of these characters., which I appreciated.
Despite tackling a lot of heavy topics, there's also a lot of levity in the book to balance it out, so it's not too overwhelming. I think it would be a book that would benefit from some discussion afterwards to help unpack, but the author does also provide a list of other sources to check out for more information, which I appreciated.
Sticking Points
- The reveal of what Alex did to land him in trouble and earn community service and a court date is so ridiculously icky and poorly handled that it soured my entire experience with the book. We literally spend the entire book with Alex and the ways he treats and interacts with everyone at the retirement home (who, I would like to remind everyone, are all grown adults, with the exception of Maya-Jade), so the way they handle finding out about Alex's crime made me absolutely livid.
The absolutely worst part, for me, was that Alex
While this didn't turn me off the book completely, I don't know that I would actively recommend it to children due to this, versus a similar book. Especially considering Alex's situation could have been handled with proper communication, which sends the wrong message when there's already a positive message regarding communicating that apparently just . . . didn't extend to this.
May 19, 2025
Not Nothing is a touching, heartwarming story with a beautifully interwoven dual storyline, all told from the perspective of a 107-year-old man speaking to the love of his life. He shares about current events—where a troubled teen is serving community service at a nursing home—and also recounts his own life as a Jew in Poland during the Holocaust.
I was moved by the connections between past and present—the ways that being human, with all its struggles, emotions, and small victories, is a shared experience across generations. The story quietly shows how one life can echo into another in powerful ways. The characters felt real, and their journeys were handled with care and tenderness.
That said, the modern storyline includes themes around gender and sexuality, which are handled thoughtfully and not graphically. At times, there seemed to be a parallel drawn between the treatment of Jews during the Holocaust and the modern experience of gender-questioning youth. I’m not sure if that was the author’s intent, but it gave me pause and felt a little uncomfortable.
I appreciate books that challenge me to sit with my discomfort and examine why I feel it. Even when I don’t fully agree with all the parallels drawn, I value stories that press me to think more deeply about being human.
I was moved by the connections between past and present—the ways that being human, with all its struggles, emotions, and small victories, is a shared experience across generations. The story quietly shows how one life can echo into another in powerful ways. The characters felt real, and their journeys were handled with care and tenderness.
That said, the modern storyline includes themes around gender and sexuality, which are handled thoughtfully and not graphically. At times, there seemed to be a parallel drawn between the treatment of Jews during the Holocaust and the modern experience of gender-questioning youth. I’m not sure if that was the author’s intent, but it gave me pause and felt a little uncomfortable.
I appreciate books that challenge me to sit with my discomfort and examine why I feel it. Even when I don’t fully agree with all the parallels drawn, I value stories that press me to think more deeply about being human.
January 27, 2025
I just finished this beautiful book. It follows Alex, a 12-year-old boy full of anger and loneliness who must do community service at a retirement home after making a terrible choice. There, he meets Josey and learns about The Holocaust for the first time. Through his relationships with the people at Shady Glen, he learns that we do not have to be defined by our mistakes, and that when we rise to the occasion of our lives, we can find peace, purpose, and friendship. A beautiful story of sacrifice, forgiveness, and redemption. It was a much needed story of hope at this time.
March 22, 2025
4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Hi, it’s me again, violently sobbing for the second time today!!!
Middle grade novels have such a special place in my heart.
The sole rating deduction came from unexpectedly needing to know a little bit about Forman’s other middle grade novel to fully appreciate the depth of this story, so readers should read her “Frankie & Bug” first, which I haven’t done yet.
Masterfully written and so relevant to our dumpster fire of a nation right now.
Hi, it’s me again, violently sobbing for the second time today!!!
Middle grade novels have such a special place in my heart.
The sole rating deduction came from unexpectedly needing to know a little bit about Forman’s other middle grade novel to fully appreciate the depth of this story, so readers should read her “Frankie & Bug” first, which I haven’t done yet.
Masterfully written and so relevant to our dumpster fire of a nation right now.
October 4, 2025
What a good and impressive story! JOSEY! But I love how the story of the past and the present where woven in together and that showing people kindness can make such a difference!
I think their are many young kids like Alex who done things that aren’t good, but they never cross paths with good people and people who show them kindness. Leave room for people to show their good sides. The story about the war were also told really impressive. I liked how those story’s intertwined!
I think their are many young kids like Alex who done things that aren’t good, but they never cross paths with good people and people who show them kindness. Leave room for people to show their good sides. The story about the war were also told really impressive. I liked how those story’s intertwined!
August 25, 2024
This is very well-written and emotionally moving. I was fully invested in Josey's story of surviving the Holocaust and of the way the nursing home residents helped Alex move on from the worst thing he ever did and from losing his mom. It made me cry several times.
(Parents may want to be aware that there are plot points related to same-sex relationships and gender identity.)
(Parents may want to be aware that there are plot points related to same-sex relationships and gender identity.)
August 30, 2025
A Maine Student Book Award nominee for 25|26.
I loved this story (well, two stories) and the way the author intertwined Alex and Josey’s two stories to make something beautiful. This is a story about rising to the occasion, and trying to make better choices than you have in the past. I loved it, and I know many of my students will too!
I loved this story (well, two stories) and the way the author intertwined Alex and Josey’s two stories to make something beautiful. This is a story about rising to the occasion, and trying to make better choices than you have in the past. I loved it, and I know many of my students will too!
February 28, 2025
Amazing book. Easily the best book I have read in the last year or so. So so much to glean from it. I need to sit with it for a bit, but I think I would like to use this book in my class in some way. Can't say enough about the point of view, characters, themes and relatability for me and I think, for my students. It is a middle years novel - the main character is 12 - but he could easily be older. Another reminder that we need to embrace the "stories" of our elders before they are gone. Highly recommend.
December 12, 2024
Wish i knew it was a holocaust book before reading it. Went 3/3 in terms of crying in my last reading sessions. Really good story but not for the emotionally vulnerable
January 26, 2025
10 stars for the 10 fingers on my hands.
February 6, 2025
10 stars. Made me cry several times. I do not cry.
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