Why I Picked It Up:
In scanning the book store I found this gem hidden on a shelf in between many other picture books. 
When I pulled it out and saw the cover, I smiled. The two boys on the cover reminded me immediately of my older two sons! No doubt they will kill me for posting this, but this old picture automatically popped in my head after seeing the cover of this book.
Why I Finished It:
It’s just fabulous on so many levels. As parents, even teachers, we have all heard the reply “nothing” to what students did during the day. Additionally, regardless of how many toys and activities we have or do, my kids never seem to have anything to do!?! In the story the older boy has come up with a fabulous idea, that since they’ve already done everything, they should do nothing. They should just sit still in a chair without talking, breathing, or moving. However, the younger brother’s imagination gets away from him every time, and therefore he’s always doing something. The pictures are phenomenal, entertaining and tell a story on their own, and the story is fresh.
Who I Would Give It To:
Parents and teachers. It’s such a great story to share as a parent, a great “lap story.” Teachers will enjoy the story and have great discussions with students about visualizing and imagination.
Integration Ideas:
Writers’ Notebook
Before even reading the book, have students write their favorite things to do in their writers’ notebook. Model for students filling 
out your notebook page. Write all the things you like to do when you have time to “play,” either with friends, siblings, or alone. By creating this list, it will activate students’ schema about what they like to do and being bored. Later, these will be great topics the students can refer to during Writers’ Workshop time.
Visualizing
When visualizing, it is important that students use their five senses. Remind students how the younger brother is really visualizing himself as a statue, a tree, the Empire States Building. He imagines what might happen if he actually was one of those things. Create a list of five or so things students can pretend to be, just like the boys in the story. Have them close their eyes and do the same thing the boys did.
“Close your eyes, and be a surf board in the ocean.”
Students will close their eyes and imagine they are a surfboard in the ocean. Ask them what they taste, smell, touch, see, and hear. Give them time and allow their imaginations to stretch. Students can write their responses to the five senses or they could even write what they imagined would happen to them in this situation.
Have students turn this into a writing assignment, poetry, narratives, expository, the choice is yours!
Making Connections
Now that students have brainstormed what they like to do to occupy their time and they have read this story. Have them make text-to-self connections to the story. Have you ever felt like the older brother or younger brother? What memories does this remind you of? Have you ever said you did nothing? Thought you did nothing? Or felt you had nothing left to do?
Make Text-to-Text connections with some of the following titles:
* Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
* The Secret Shortcut by Mark Teague
* Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street by Ronie Schotter
* Quiet Place by Douglas Wood
* Dreams by Peter Spier
* Tuesday by David Wiesner
Please Share:
1. Share how you have used this story in your class or with your children.
2. Share other books you connect this story with in your class.
3. Share how you have used or will use this idea in your class.
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