The Gift of Nothing
By Patrick McDonnell
7 min without interruption
10-12 min with discussion prompts throughout/after
Pre-Kay through Third grade.
A lovely little book by the same author who brought our library A Perfectly Messed Up Story, McDonnell uses this book as an opportunity to answer the age-old question "What do you give someone who has everything?" (...Nothing). A humorous and poetically simplistic explanation of the many somethings that aren't really worth anything, and how the lack of somethings might actually be worth everything.
7 min without interruption
10-12 min with discussion prompts throughout/after
Pre-Kay through Third grade.
A lovely little book by the same author who brought our library A Perfectly Messed Up Story, McDonnell uses this book as an opportunity to answer the age-old question "What do you give someone who has everything?" (...Nothing). A humorous and poetically simplistic explanation of the many somethings that aren't really worth anything, and how the lack of somethings might actually be worth everything.
Scroll Down for Description and Debriefing Guide.
Mooch wants to get Rowdy a present, but what do you get a friend who has everything? (By "everything," Mooch means a bed, shiny bowl, and a squeak toy - Mooch is a cat, Rowdy's a dog.)
Leading Questions:
Leading Questions:
- What did Mooch give Rowdy?
- Why did Mooch have so much trouble finding "nothing"?
- If you were Rowdy, what would matter the most about Mooch trying so hard to find you a present?
- Do you think the humans in the book know what "nothing" really is?
- Is "nothing" always bad? Why or why not?
- Why did Rowdy like the present?
- (While Reading) Is that what the man means when he says "There's nothing on TV?" What does he mean?
- (While Reading) Is that what the woman means when she says "There's nothing to buy?" What does she mean?