Twelve-year-old Alex is carrying a lot of pain. After a violent outburst changes his life, he's sentenced to community service at a retirement home, where he meets 107-year-old Holocaust survivor Josey Kravitz. Josey hasn't spoken to anyone in years, but for reasons he can't quite explain, he begins telling Alex the story of his life. As Josey's memories of wartime Poland intertwine with Alex's own journey toward accountability and healing, the people around them begin sharing their own stories too. Together, they discover that compassion, forgiveness, and human connection can change lives in unexpected ways.
The PJ Our Way Book Selection Committee is always looking for stories that tackle difficult subjects with honesty, hope, and heart. Not Nothing does exactly that, weaving together themes of teshuvah (repentance), forgiveness, kindness, and the power of listening. Through unforgettable characters and beautifully interconnected stories, it reminds readers that no one should be defined by the worst thing they've ever done, and that understanding someone else's story can change the way we see our own.
As one PJ Our Way reader noted, "I really liked the ways the different stories were woven together, and the way that by the end, all the characters felt a connection to each other through the stories they had to told to one each other, and the ways they had opened up to each other."
This book is perfect for fans of Linked, Under the Egg, and Broken Strings.
October 6, 2026