Review: Not Nothing
Not Nothing
by Gayle Forman
Aladdin (imprint of Simon & Schuster), 2024
Category: Middle Grade
Reviewer: Mindy Civan
Buy at Bookshop.org
Not Nothing tells the story of a non-Jewish twelve year old boy named Alex, from the point of view of Joseph Kravitz, a Jewish 107 year old Holocaust survivor. This unlikely friendship was set into motion by a judge, who ordered Alex to volunteer at Shady Glen Retirement Home, after “the incident”. Alex was recently removed from his mother’s care and placed with his aunt and uncle, where he sleeps on a lumpy couch and is fed bland, rubbery chicken each night. Shady Glen is the last place that Alex wants to be for the summer, with its elderly residents, especially since the only other kid around is the bossy Maya-Jade.
Things start to change for Alex when a case of the stomach flu spreads, and Alex has to help by delivering meals to residents in their rooms. On his delivery rounds, Alex slowly begins to converse with the residents, and get to know their stories. In a shock to everyone, Joseph Kravitz speaks for the first time in five years, beginning to share with Alex the story of his past, and his beloved Olka.
This book has many Jewish themes woven throughout the text. Most notably, it tells a story of the Holocaust. While the actual story is fiction, it is a composite of various first hand accounts told to the author, backed by historical research. It serves as an appropriate middle grade introduction to the Holocaust, detailing how Joseph and his family went from prominent merchants in Poland before the Nazi invasion, to Jews who were sent to the ghetto and ultimately concentration camps.The Holocaust narrative is shared in flashbacks, telling briefly of the horrors of the war, and then returning to the present day storyline. Modern Jewish life is represented by many of the characters, including May-Jade. Alex has the opportunity to share a Shabbat dinner with her family, learning about Jewish rituals and customs. This book was also inspired by the author's time volunteering in an assisted-living home through Dorot. The Jewish value of respecting the elderly, learning from their life experiences and wisdom, and seeing all people as individuals, is perhaps the strongest theme of the book.
Not Nothing tells the story of a non-Jewish twelve year old boy named Alex, from the point of view of Joseph Kravitz, a Jewish 107 year old Holocaust survivor. This unlikely friendship was set into motion by a judge, who ordered Alex to volunteer at Shady Glen Retirement Home, after “the incident”. Alex was recently removed from his mother’s care and placed with his aunt and uncle, where he sleeps on a lumpy couch and is fed bland, rubbery chicken each night. Shady Glen is the last place that Alex wants to be for the summer, with its elderly residents, especially since the only other kid around is the bossy Maya-Jade.
Things start to change for Alex when a case of the stomach flu spreads, and Alex has to help by delivering meals to residents in their rooms. On his delivery rounds, Alex slowly begins to converse with the residents, and get to know their stories. In a shock to everyone, Joseph Kravitz speaks for the first time in five years, beginning to share with Alex the story of his past, and his beloved Olka.
This book has many Jewish themes woven throughout the text. Most notably, it tells a story of the Holocaust. While the actual story is fiction, it is a composite of various first hand accounts told to the author, backed by historical research. It serves as an appropriate middle grade introduction to the Holocaust, detailing how Joseph and his family went from prominent merchants in Poland before the Nazi invasion, to Jews who were sent to the ghetto and ultimately concentration camps.The Holocaust narrative is shared in flashbacks, telling briefly of the horrors of the war, and then returning to the present day storyline. Modern Jewish life is represented by many of the characters, including May-Jade. Alex has the opportunity to share a Shabbat dinner with her family, learning about Jewish rituals and customs. This book was also inspired by the author's time volunteering in an assisted-living home through Dorot. The Jewish value of respecting the elderly, learning from their life experiences and wisdom, and seeing all people as individuals, is perhaps the strongest theme of the book.
The author weaves together a story that appeals to Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike. At its core is Alex, who feels unloved and betrayed by those around him, struggling to find himself and his self worth. Forman deftly uses humor, flashback, and a strong cast of supporting characters to tell a universal story. It touches on belonging, poverty, independence, LGBTQIA+, and respect for the elderly. As the narrator shares in the opening, this is a story of how Joseph and Alex both learn how to “Rise to the occasion of (their) lives,” a note-worthy goal for all of us.
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