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72nd out of 179 books
—
110 voters
Nothing At All
by
Wanda Gág
"Nothing at All" is the name of an orphaned puppy living with his two brothers until two children come to adopt them. Unfortunately, Nothing at All gets inadvertently left behind-not out of cruelty, but because he is invisible!He is horribly lonely until he meets a bird, a Jackdaw, who says that he knows how to make the puppy visible. Nothing at All doesn't think much of t...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
August 5th 2004
by Univ Of Minnesota Press
(first published 1941)
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I remember being mesmerized by the illustrations in this book when I was little. The dog houses were so beautiful in their varied architecture! The dogs were so cute and playful! And little Nothing-at-All was fascinating, growing from a glowing orb of "nothingness" into an adorable "somethingness" of Doggie-shape.
Reading this again as an adult made me realize how much "extra stuff" (dare I say "junk"?) we adults can bring to books, even without meaning to! I remember no odd messages in the text...more
Reading this again as an adult made me realize how much "extra stuff" (dare I say "junk"?) we adults can bring to books, even without meaning to! I remember no odd messages in the text...more
"He was not very tall
Nor yet very small;
He looked like nothing,
Like nothing at all."
Nothing-at-all is perfectly contented to be invisible as long as he can do all of the same things his visible brothers can do. Until, one day, the brothers are adopted by a boy and a girl, who don't take Nothing-at-all because they cannot see him. Nothing-at-all follows but soon loses them. A friendly Jackdaw, whose task it is to "carry home everything I see," has helpfully found a Book of Magic which contains a...more
Nor yet very small;
He looked like nothing,
Like nothing at all."
Nothing-at-all is perfectly contented to be invisible as long as he can do all of the same things his visible brothers can do. Until, one day, the brothers are adopted by a boy and a girl, who don't take Nothing-at-all because they cannot see him. Nothing-at-all follows but soon loses them. A friendly Jackdaw, whose task it is to "carry home everything I see," has helpfully found a Book of Magic which contains a...more
If this book wasn't a 1942 Caldecott Honor winner, I probably would never have picked it up, although I do love Wanda Gag's color illustrations. This book is about three orphaned dog brothers named Pointy, Curly and Nothing-at-all. They all live in a kennel together. One day two children come to adopt some dogs and see his brothers and take them home. Nothing-at-all follows them but loses them rather quickly. He meets a jackdaw who helps him become visible by repeating a magic chant and whirling...more
I'm not a fan of this one and never saw it as a child a decade after it was published. Maybe children would enjoy the story of a dog that is invisible coming into his own...through magic? The story started like it was a fable to convey that was setting up an important lesson at the end - The illustrations were too contained with several exceptions, more like ornaments accompanying lots of text, and I didn't like the typeface either.
1942 Caldecott Honor
Favorite illustration: p. 11 The map of Nothing-at-all's route to try to find his brothers.
Favorite line: "Well done!" cried a voice which was the jackdaw's. "You are a pleasant-looking shape, I must say. Keep it up!"
Kid-appeal: If our audience of two could have a vote, they'd say, "Yes!" Cute story. Delightful book design with cute illustration, fun font, and great word choices--twirling/whirling/swirling; dizzy/busy; blossom bushes/puddle ponds.
Favorite illustration: p. 11 The map of Nothing-at-all's route to try to find his brothers.
Favorite line: "Well done!" cried a voice which was the jackdaw's. "You are a pleasant-looking shape, I must say. Keep it up!"
Kid-appeal: If our audience of two could have a vote, they'd say, "Yes!" Cute story. Delightful book design with cute illustration, fun font, and great word choices--twirling/whirling/swirling; dizzy/busy; blossom bushes/puddle ponds.
Apr 19, 2010
Karen
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Preschool Teachers
Recommended to Karen by:
Dad
As I helped my father clean out the dark pressboard shelving unit he'd had since college to make way for a new dresser with cedar-lined drawers, I rediscovered this book. I read it sitting on my father's bed, surrounded by my father's stuff, optical equipment, books about arctic explorers, and old notes from my sister and I to the tooth fairy. I wished I had a child to read it aloud to, and to look at the pictures with. The story is fun, rhythmic, and sweet. I took it into my childhood room and...more
Caldecott Honor Book, 1942
Favorite line:
"He was not very tall
Nor yet very small;
He looked like nothing,
Like nothing at all."
Favorite illustration: pages 26-27
Favorite line:
"He was not very tall
Nor yet very small;
He looked like nothing,
Like nothing at all."
Favorite illustration: pages 26-27
I remember relating to the invisible dog as a small child. I felt so invisible and doubted that I would ever exist. Sadly I could not relate to ever being found...
This is a rather strange story about an invisible dog named Nothing-at-all. I enjoyed the illustrations, but I just don't get the story.
Deserves its classic status. Wonderful illustrations. Perhaps his ability to become visible is symbolic of something???
Caldecott Honor 1942 - Kind of quirky and fun and a bit unexpected for a story from the early 40's
My favorite part is where the dog says, "I'm busy gettin' dizzy."
Caldecott Honor 1942
Cute text and fun pictures.
Cute text and fun pictures.
2.5
I love love dogs. And I love children's books. I just didn't love love this book about dogs. There was quite a bit to find cute, but you just cannot help but feel this book is dated.
The end was both nice, and also I felt myself wishing it were different. The story, about being invisible, can be a great one - especially for a middle child. You can probably use this book as a tool to reach a child that you suspect feels a bit overlooked.
Sadly, I just can't say you should buy this one. Grab it...more
I love love dogs. And I love children's books. I just didn't love love this book about dogs. There was quite a bit to find cute, but you just cannot help but feel this book is dated.
The end was both nice, and also I felt myself wishing it were different. The story, about being invisible, can be a great one - especially for a middle child. You can probably use this book as a tool to reach a child that you suspect feels a bit overlooked.
Sadly, I just can't say you should buy this one. Grab it...more
1942 Caldecott Honor
Caldecott Honor--1942
Enjoy her drawings.
Caldecott honor.
Caldecott honor.
Oh, Wanda Gág, I love your quirky stories, your art, and even your distinctive font!
My favorite illustrations: page 4 and page 11
I also really like the font used in this book.
I also really like the font used in this book.
So I wrote a review for this book but I guess I forgot to upload it. Basically, it's so-so on all fronts. I like that each dog lives in a house whose roof matches it's own ears (a pointy roof for the point-eared dog...). And I think having a dog that is a dog but is invisible even to itself is a nice metaphor of self-discovery but I think other books tell that story better
Read for #nerdcott. Reviewed in Caldecott Challenge Post #72: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Finishing up the Minnesota's great pioneer of children's author/illustrator.
Jun 11, 2013
Lauren Simpson
marked it as to-read
Jun 05, 2013
Staci
marked it as to-read
May 08, 2013
Lauren Summers
marked it as to-read
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Wanda Hazel Gág (March 11, 1893–June 27, 1946)[1] was an American author and illustrator. She was born on March 11, 1893, in New Ulm, Minnesota. Her mother (Elisabeth Biebl) and father (Anton) were of Bohemian descent. Both parents were artists who had met in Germany. They had seven children, who all acquired some level of artistic talent. Wanda grew up the eldest of these, and despite their econo...more
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25 août 07:47
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