Nothing

From Annie Barrows, the acclaimed #1 New York Times–bestselling coauthor of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and the author of the award-winning and bestselling Ivy + Bean books, this teen debut tells the story of Charlotte and Frankie, two high school students and best friends who don't have magical powers, fight aliens, crash their cars, get pierced, or discover they are royal. They just go to school. And live at home. With their parents. A great read for fans of Becky Albertalli, Louise Rennison, and Adi Alsaid.

Nothing ever happens to Charlotte and Frankie. Their lives are nothing like the lives of the girls they read about in their YA novels. They don't have flowing red hair, and hot romantic encounters never happen-let alone meeting a true soul mate.

They just go to high school and live at home with their parents, who are pretty normal, all things considered. But when Charlotte decides to write down everything that happens during their sophomore year-to prove that nothing happens and there is no plot or character development in real life-she's surprised to find that being fifteen isn't as boring as she thought.

It's weird, heartbreaking, silly, and complicated. And maybe, just perfect.

Review by Sarah McDuling

Nothing is a charming and clever book about friendship and coming of age, from the author of The Truth According to Us and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

The banter in this book is STRONG. The friendship between main characters Frankie and Charlotte has a solid foundation in witty quips and biting sarcasm. It’s funny and smart and feels very genuine and true-to-life.

Charlotte and Frankie believe that their lives are boring and that nothing exciting ever happens to them – unlike the characters they read about in YA books. And they are correct! Charlotte and Frankie lead pretty normal lives… but does being ‘normal’ make you boring?

This is a book about friendship and growing up. It’s about wanting more than you have, and learning to value what you’ve got. It’s about deciding who you want to be and then figuring out how to make it happen. It’s not a very plot-driven book. In fact, nothing much really happens to Frankie and Charlotte. Fortunately Annie Barrows is able to prove just how endearing, entertaining and amusing ‘nothing’ can be!

Nothing is a quick, light read which sparkles with humour and has a lot of heart. I really enjoyed it and hope that Annie Barrows plans to write more contemporary YA because having devoured this one, I will gladly gobble up more of the same!

About the Author

Annie Barrows is the #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and the author of The Truth According to Us, and the Ivy + Bean chapter book series. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was a Time and USA Today best book of the year. Her books have been nominated for many awards, including the Bluestem Award, the Mark Twain Award, the Virginia Readers' Choice, the Massachusetts Children's Book Award, and the Kentucky Bluegrass Award, and have been included on the New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing.

Ivy + Bean has been an ALA Notable Book and is one of Common Sense Media's "50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12."