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Parents' Guide to

Let's Do Nothing

By Patricia Tauzer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Fun book about combating boredom; great for lazy afternoons.

Book Tony Fucile Picture Book 2009
Let's Do Nothing Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 10+

Based on 3 parent reviews

brady.tosh.o
brady.tosh.o Parent of 10-year-old
March 8, 2010
age 17+
i loved this book a very funny book
Goss Family
Goss Family Parent
February 8, 2010
age 6+

Perfect read for any child who wants a good laugh.

My son and I loved it! We both laughed and enjoyed this book.
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

After playing every sport and board game, painting, reading, baking cookies, and so on, two boys decide to do nothing, and they find out just how difficult that can be. Sal has helpful ideas, but Frankie just cannot pull it off.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (3 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Doing nothing is harder than it looks; most kids who read this book will agree, and they will enjoy seeing just how hard these two boys try. The format is simple: Sal comes up with an idea and sets the stage. Frankie has problems. They pretend to be statues, but pigeons land all over Frankie. They try standing as still as trees in a forest, but a dog comes along and marks Frankie's tree. Together they are a real comedy team, and kids will love the humor.

The illustrations, which look a bit like Dennis the Menace cartoons, bring the bit to life. Done in ink, colored pencil, and acrylic on watercolor paper, they will appeal to kids who like cartoon-type animation. LET'S DO NOTHING is a fun book to give kids a few new ideas about how to fill lazy afternoons.

Cartooning is brightly colored and playfully expressive.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what kinds of things they like to do with their friends. What games do you play? How do you decide?

  • What did you think of Sal's ideas? Which one did you like best? Is pretending to be a statue, a building, or a tree really doing nothing? What kinds of problems did Frankie have? Why?

  • Can you do nothing for 10 seconds?

Book Details

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