Nothing in Common

by Kate Hoefler (Author) Corinna Luyken (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

★"Heartwarming, imaginative and beautifully illustrated, Nothing in Common is the story of how a shared experience can bring two people together through thoughtfulness, observation and compassion." -Shelf Awareness, starred review

A tender and timely story of compassion and finding common ground with others, perfect for fans of I Walk With Vanessa and Thank You, Omu!

Two neighbors both love to watch the old man and his dog from their windows, but they never wave to each other. After all, they have nothing in common. But everything changes when they are the only ones who notice that one day is different--there is the old man, but where is the dog?

In this lyrical picture book, two strangers learn about the many ways the world connects us--even if the only thing we have in common is how much we care about someone else. Filled with whimsy and warmth, Nothing In Common is a tender friendship story that reminds us to always lead with compassion.

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School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--In a wistful urban landscape, two children (one with blue hair, pants, and backpack; the other wearing red) quietly admire the neighbor's dog from their separate apartment windows but never speak to him, or each other. The first half of the book emanates a delicate introversion, from the downcast glances and gouache-tinged pencil-and-ink illustrations to the repeated refrain ("they had nothing in common") and the lyrical flourishes ("things they felt under the floors of their hearts"). Then the story takes a whimsical turn. The dog has gone missing, so the two children don helmets and binoculars in their designated colors and venture out into the depopulated city to search. Inevitably, they will meet on their common quest. Hoefler manages this surreal twist with the same introspective lyricism as before ("a balloon is a great moon with ropes"), the language sustaining the quiet expectation of the first half. The illustrations take on a slightly heightened shine with nightfall--stars twinkle, light radiates more distinctly, the colors begin to blend--as the children restore the balloon-dog to its lonely owner and begin their friendship. VERDICT This simultaneously hushed and fanciful version of two-loners-find-their-perfect-match offers an unusual combination of tone, content, and fancy.--Robbin E. Friedman, Chappaqua Lib., NY

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Publishers Weekly

She's a girl with long straight hair; he's a boy with a quiff. Luyken (My Heart) draws the two with simple, wistful lines. Their apartment windows face each other, but "they had nothing in common, so they never waved," Hoefler (Rabbit and the Motorbike) explains. They're fascinated by the same elderly neighbor and his jaunty white terrier, however: "The dog could do marvelous things. And did. Things they felt under the floors of their hearts." One day, the old man loses his dog ("Neither had ever seen an old man cry"), and the two act on the same impulse: "They both went out with binoculars and a helmet for thinking." Rescuing the pup reveals that they have quite a lot in common. Lilting prose by Hoefler sustains an atmosphere of poignant vulnerability. Against a backdrop of misty paint swirls, wistful vignettes in reds, whites, and blues linger on the old man's kind face and the dog's intrepid curiosity. The tale reads as much fanciful rom-com as children's story, but readers young and old will understand that love is what draws people together. Ages 4-7. Agent for author and illustrator: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Sept.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Lilting prose by Hoefler sustains an atmosphere of poignant vulnerability. Against a backdrop of misty paint swirls, wistful vignettes in reds, whites, and blues linger on the old man's kind face and the dog's intrepid curiosity. The tale reads as much fanciful rom-com as children's story, but readers young and old will understand that love is what draws people together." —Publishers Weekly

"The first half of the book emanates a delicate introversion....Hoefler manages this surreal twist with the same introspective lyricism as before ('a balloon is a great moon with ropes'), the language sustaining the quiet expectation of the first half....This simultaneously hushed and fanciful version of two-loners-find-their-perfect-match offers an unusual combination of tone, content, and fancy." —School Library Journal

Kate Hoefler
Kate Hoefler is the author of several picture books, including Nothing in Common (illustrated by Corinna Luyken), Great Big Things, Rabbit and the Motorbike, and Real Cowboys, which received two starred reviews and was a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. Kate received her MFA in poetry from the University of Michigan, where she was a Colby Fellow. She lives in Ohio with her family.

Corinna Luyken is the author-illustrator of ABC AND YOU AND ME (June 2023); THE TREE IN ME (an NCTE Notable Poetry Book and Indie Bestseller); MY HEART (A New York Times Best Seller); and THE BOOK OF MISTAKES (which The Wall Street Journal called "sublime"). She is also the illustrator of IN THE DARK (Aug 2023) and NOTHING IN COMMON, both written by Kate Hoefler; PATCHWORK (A New York Times and Kirkus Best Picture Book of 2022), written by Matt de la Peña; SOMETHING GOOD and ADRIAN SIMCOX DOES NOT HAVE A HORSE, both written by Marcy Campbell; and WEIRD LITTLE ROBOTS, written by Carolyn Crimi. She was raised in Oregon, California, and Hawaii; and studied dance improvisation, poetry, and printmaking at Middlebury College in Vermont. She now lives near the Salish Sea in Olympia, WA with her husband, daughter, and two small cats.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780544774780
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Clarion Books
Publication date
September 15, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV002070 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Dogs
JUV039220 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Values & Virtues
JUV023000 - Juvenile Fiction | Lifestyles | City & Town Life
JUV039270 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Strangers
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
Neighbors
Older men
Compassion
Hot air balloons
Apartments
Lost dogs

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