NOTHING

In this delightful tale from Inkpen (Wibbly Pig Makes Pictures, 1995, etc.), the circle goes unbroken when a ratty and abandoned stuffed toy recalls its own true self. It is moving day. Up in the attic, a toy that had been lost is found and lost again: ``What have we got here?'' asks one of the movers. ``Oh, it's nothing,'' replies the other. ``So that's my name,'' thinks the faded and tattered little thing. ``Nothing.'' Cautioned by a mouse that the ``New People'' will probably throw him away, Nothing embarks on a reluctant journey of self-discovery. Seeing the tail on the mouse reminds him that he may have had one. The whiskers on a fox are familiar, as are the stripes on a frog in the garden lily pond. A cat takes Nothing home, where he encounters Grandpa, who holds the key to the mystery. The handsome illustrations, composed for maximum emotional impact, combine with a clever book design—the first page of the story appears before the title page, and Nothing's transformation back to a feline state takes place in a gatefold. Readers searching for deep meanings will find plenty to ponder, especially in the perfect balance between the profoundness of Nothing's mission and the humor of the text. (Picture book. 3-6)