Leads to allsorts of conversations with your child! (Nothing - Mick Inkpen)

Member Name: kavanagh

Product:	Nothing - Mick Inkpen
Date:	19/06/02 (46 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Appealing, Thought provoking, Happy ending

Disadvantages: Really can't think of any.

My son has had this book since his third birthday - he is now eight and 'Nothing ' is read when he is happy, sad, ill, tired, excited - in fact any excuse will do!
When he first got the book we just read it together, straight through. As he got older we discussed issues raised by the book - moving house, pets going missing, attics, being sad, loving scruffy toys more than brand new ones, reflections, nocturnal animals, relatives, photo albums and new babies. Now he reads it just because it brings back nice memories and he never tires of it.
It is a lovely story, an old battered soft toy that was abandoned long ago hears itself described as 'nothing', which he presumes is his name. Nothing then goes on an adventure, he meets a mouse, sits on a rooftop, falls down a drainpipe, speaks to a fox, finds a pond and a frog, gets licked by a cat, meets a family, has a makeover and discovers his real name.
There are great pictures with plenty of details to discuss with young readers. The pictures are simple enough for the youngest of children yet still very attractive - the colours are very appealing.
My son learnt that old scruffy toys can be just as important as brand new shiny ones, he also realised that if something is old and battered, it might be possible to repair it (quite an interesting point in our throw away society).
I have thought very carefully about minus points but I honestly can't think of any.

A fantastic book on lots of different levels.

Summary: