Review by Booklist Review
Children taking the titular statement at face value will miss out on a lot, as the first few blank, shadowy pages give way to brighter ones. These feature a succession of mysterious items: a striped ball, a clown shoe, a red nose, a trumpet. The objects are collected by a pointy-nosed lantern bearer, whose initial low expectations give way to rising excitement: Come on! Let's keep going! Maybe something will happen in this book! And indeed, the narrator eventually matches up all the lost items with performers in a circus parade that climactically marches across a gatefold in a shower of confetti to the exuberant conclusion that EVERYTHING HAPPENS IN THIS BOOK! The narrative is actually dispensable, as Vigg's stylized, minimalist pictures convey the episode's slow rise and triumphant peak well on their own, as well as adding a few visual surprises. Still, puzzling over whether anything is actually happening, and if so, just what, will draw readers into this brief metafictive mystery.--Peters, John Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This self-referential story by Sadler (Reaching) starts with spreads of dark, textured shadow. Per the title, a mouse in a bow tie tells readers to give up on the book: "You might as well stick it back on the shelf," he advises. Then a faint light dawns, and objects appear-a striped ball, a clown's shoes-and sounds surface: music, "horses nickering," and "bagpipes humming." The mouse finds a group of downcast-looking entertainers, gradually realizes that there's a parade waiting to be organized, and takes charge. A final triple gatefold bursts with musicians, confetti, and balloons. Canadian illustrator Vigg brings a retro sensibility to the spreads with a restrained palette of yellowish-brown, olive green, and brick red, and his figures sport the cheerful grins and wide-open eyes of cartoon characters. Notably, in this age of snark, the parade participants interact with polite concern ("Did you lose your teddy bear?"). Sadler keeps the pace at a quick march, building smoothly from quiet stillness to riotous fortissimo, and the mouse's questions for listeners ("Did you hear that?") will engage the readaloud audience throughout. Ages 4-7. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Nothing happens in this book. At least, that's what the narrator tells readers. He claims that it is so boring, they should throw it under the bed or, better yet, stick it on the back of a shelf. Little by little, the host comes across some peculiar items. There's a ball that nobody is bouncing, There's a red nose that no one is wearing. A trumpet that nobody is trumpeting. Other things are found as readers proceed through the following pages. What do they all mean and who do they belong to? And what about the cute little teddy bear driving a car around the book? As the book progresses, more and more things are found. Eventually, the narrator hears sounds...cheering, laughing, and clapping! Children will be immediately engaged from the beginning of this story. The narrator speaks directly to readers and wants them to follow him on the journey. He makes them feel like they can help to solve the mystery of the missing story. Young ones can become detectives and try to put together the missing pieces. The artwork is large and fun. The shadows add an air of mystique to the items that are found. This book is perfect for a storytime or for one-on-one reading. VERDICT A clever book that children will want to come back to again and again.-Barbara Spiri, Southborough Library, MA © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
It looks like nothing happens in this book," says a smartly dressed mole-snouted narrator in a barren space. But then he spots a big shoe, a small car, and other clown accoutrements and realizes that something is happening. This is one of those meta picture books that builds toward something worth waiting for: a gatefold spread bursting with cartoony circus antics ("WOW!"). (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
This book's appeal lies in the fact that the title tells a lie.A little sharp-nosed man with small, protruding ears, who wears a bow tie and carries a lantern, gives readers warnings against reading this book; it's "boring," he says. Accordingly, the story opens with only a white speech bubble on a black page with red undertones. However, once the narrator realizes readers will stick around, both the illustrations and the story get more interesting. As a teddy bear sneaks up behind, the narrator begins to find circus- and band-related objects strewn all over the place (a clown's shoe, a trumpet, a baton…). At the story's climax, a fold-out page shows exactly to whom the objects belong, celebrates the zany expansiveness of the entertainment, and gives young readers plenty of details to enjoy. The book's retro look, matte finish, elongated format, and delightful speech bubbles make it a somewhat unusual find. And now that Ringling Brothers will no longer be visiting a town near you, this may be one of the few ways kids will get to experience circus fun.A lively tale in which observant readers will discover--long before the narrator does--that in fact much more than nothing happens in this book. (Picture book. 4-8)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
