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The Gift of Everything
Just in time for the 20th anniversary of the New York Times bestseller The Gift of Nothing, this heartwarming story perfect for the holiday season offers a fresh take on mindfulness and gratitude and features Patrick McDonnell's familiar beloved characters from his popular MUTTS comic strip!
It’s that time of year again. Mooch the cat is searching up, down, and all around for a perfect gift for his special friend Earl. But what is perfect? Join Mooch as he sees the world around him with a fresh feeling of gratitude and discovers the Everyone… Everywhere… Everything! Good thing he has just the right person to share it all with!
In this joyful rhyming companion to award-winning creator Patrick McDonnell’s classic The Gift of Nothing, the stars of the beloved comic strip MUTTS find the gift of their lives. Don't miss these other picture books by Patrick
The Gift of Nothing
Me…Jane
Art
Hug Time
Tek
The Little Red Cat Who Ran Away and Learned His ABC's (the Hard Way)
A Perfectly Messed-Up Story
The Monsters’ Monster
It’s that time of year again. Mooch the cat is searching up, down, and all around for a perfect gift for his special friend Earl. But what is perfect? Join Mooch as he sees the world around him with a fresh feeling of gratitude and discovers the Everyone… Everywhere… Everything! Good thing he has just the right person to share it all with!
In this joyful rhyming companion to award-winning creator Patrick McDonnell’s classic The Gift of Nothing, the stars of the beloved comic strip MUTTS find the gift of their lives. Don't miss these other picture books by Patrick
The Gift of Nothing
Me…Jane
Art
Hug Time
Tek
The Little Red Cat Who Ran Away and Learned His ABC's (the Hard Way)
A Perfectly Messed-Up Story
The Monsters’ Monster
40 pages, Hardcover
Published October 7, 2025
About the author
Patrick McDonnell
187 books397 followersPatrick McDonnell’s comic strip, MUTTS, is celebrating its 30th anniversary, having appeared in over 700 newspapers across 20 countries. MUTTS has received numerous awards for its artistry and its animal and environmental themes. These include the NCS Reuben for Cartoonist of the Year, seven Harveys and the Eisner Humanitarian Award. Charles Schulz called MUTTS “One of the best comics strips of all time.”
BREAKING THE CHAIN: THE GUARD DOG STORY, a collection of his newsworthy story centered freeing MUTTS chained dog, Guard Dog, will be published in fall 2024.
McDonnell’s latest book is THE SUPER HERO’S JOURNEY, a graphic novel love letter to Marvel Comics and Jack Kirby. It was on 11 ‘best of’ lists for 2023.
THE ART OF NOTHING, an oeuvre of McDonnell’s work, comprehensively celebrates Patrick’s comic strip career. McDonnell is also the author of New York Times bestselling picture books, including THE GIFT OF NOTHING and the Caldecott Honor winning ME...JANE (a childhood biography of Dr. Jane Goodall). Both have been adapted as musicals for the Kennedy Center stage. In addition, he has collaborated with spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle on GUARDIANS OF BEING and with poet Daniel Ladinsky on DARLING I LOVE YOU. HEART TO HEART: A CONVERSATION ON LOVE AND HOPE FOR OUR PRECIOUS PLANET is a collaboration with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His Holiness has said “It is my hope that this book will open the eyes, minds and hearts of all people.”
In 2021, Ohio State University hosted Side Effects, a major exhibition of his large scale canvases. There will be a year-long retrospective of McDonnell’s comic strips, book illustrations and paintings at the San Diego Comic-Con Museum opening in January 2025.
McDonnell was a member of the Board of Directors of The Humane Society of the United States for 18 years as well as The Fund for Animals, and continues to serve as a director for The Charles M. Schulz Museum and D&R Greenway Land Trust.
You can sign up for the MUTTS daily email at mutts.com.
BREAKING THE CHAIN: THE GUARD DOG STORY, a collection of his newsworthy story centered freeing MUTTS chained dog, Guard Dog, will be published in fall 2024.
McDonnell’s latest book is THE SUPER HERO’S JOURNEY, a graphic novel love letter to Marvel Comics and Jack Kirby. It was on 11 ‘best of’ lists for 2023.
THE ART OF NOTHING, an oeuvre of McDonnell’s work, comprehensively celebrates Patrick’s comic strip career. McDonnell is also the author of New York Times bestselling picture books, including THE GIFT OF NOTHING and the Caldecott Honor winning ME...JANE (a childhood biography of Dr. Jane Goodall). Both have been adapted as musicals for the Kennedy Center stage. In addition, he has collaborated with spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle on GUARDIANS OF BEING and with poet Daniel Ladinsky on DARLING I LOVE YOU. HEART TO HEART: A CONVERSATION ON LOVE AND HOPE FOR OUR PRECIOUS PLANET is a collaboration with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His Holiness has said “It is my hope that this book will open the eyes, minds and hearts of all people.”
In 2021, Ohio State University hosted Side Effects, a major exhibition of his large scale canvases. There will be a year-long retrospective of McDonnell’s comic strips, book illustrations and paintings at the San Diego Comic-Con Museum opening in January 2025.
McDonnell was a member of the Board of Directors of The Humane Society of the United States for 18 years as well as The Fund for Animals, and continues to serve as a director for The Charles M. Schulz Museum and D&R Greenway Land Trust.
You can sign up for the MUTTS daily email at mutts.com.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 21, 2025
Ahfreakingdorable!!!
November 18, 2025
Brief Summary of Book:
The Gift of Everything is a heartwarming picture book that follows the endearing cat, Mooch, from the MUTTS comic strip, as he embarks on a quest to find the perfect gift for his best friend, Earl the dog, in time for the holiday season.
Mooch searches "up, down, and all around," struggling to find a material present worthy of his friendship with Earl. Through his journey, he begins to look at the world with a fresh sense of mindfulness and gratitude. He realizes that the most precious gifts are not objects that can be bought or wrapped, but the intangible joys of life that surround them: the wind, the sun, the birds, and the sheer gift of being alive.
Mooch ultimately discovers that the perfect gift is simply "Everyone Everywhere Everything!" The story concludes with Mooch eagerly sharing this newfound perspective and his presence with Earl, celebrating that the greatest treasure is the time, attention, and shared moments between friends. The book delivers a simple yet profound message about gratitude, mindfulness, and the value of non-material gifts.
Overall Rating: 5.0 Stars
The Gift of Everything is a heartwarming picture book that follows the endearing cat, Mooch, from the MUTTS comic strip, as he embarks on a quest to find the perfect gift for his best friend, Earl the dog, in time for the holiday season.
Mooch searches "up, down, and all around," struggling to find a material present worthy of his friendship with Earl. Through his journey, he begins to look at the world with a fresh sense of mindfulness and gratitude. He realizes that the most precious gifts are not objects that can be bought or wrapped, but the intangible joys of life that surround them: the wind, the sun, the birds, and the sheer gift of being alive.
Mooch ultimately discovers that the perfect gift is simply "Everyone Everywhere Everything!" The story concludes with Mooch eagerly sharing this newfound perspective and his presence with Earl, celebrating that the greatest treasure is the time, attention, and shared moments between friends. The book delivers a simple yet profound message about gratitude, mindfulness, and the value of non-material gifts.
Overall Rating: 5.0 Stars
October 27, 2025
Charming colored pencil drawings featuring the main characters of the comic strip Mutts. Picture book aimed at very young children. Primary colors with green added on one spread for glorious emphasis.
November 16, 2025
Just as "The Gift of Nothing", this book made me smile throughout every page as well. It's amazing how Patrick McDonnell manages to create so much cuteness with a few strokes. This is a beautiful story that makes one realize how much in our life is a gift.
March 4, 2026
A beautiful story with simple prose and intentional imagery that manages to summarize that a "perfect gift" is as easy as appreciating all of the little things around you while being grateful for the present. FAVORITE HOLIDAY STORY!
October 18, 2025
A great book about how everything we have in life is a gift. Even the small things.
October 27, 2025
The book and illustrations are TINY! Best as a one on one story about giving gifts in winter.
November 29, 2025
Heartwarming story about choosing a gift and realizing all the things we have around us.
December 6, 2025
I thought this book was a try-hard.
December 29, 2025
loved it!
Read
April 24, 2026beautiful gratitude exploration!
December 22, 2025
I tried to read this during winter break Storytime and everyone was way too wiggly!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews