The Inactivity Book
$36.65
- Hardcover
48 pages
- Release Date
21 October 2026
Summary
From the author of the Caldecott Honor-winning NOODLES ON A BICYCLE comes a poetic celebration of doing… not much at all.
Have you ever felt like becoming a perch for passing birds? Or curling into the corneriest corner you can find? Maybe you’ve imagined yourself as a sleepy monument or even a sea sponge at the bottom of the ocean. If you have, then you’re ready to discover the magic of doing nothing at all.
Told in Kyo Maclear’s signature lyrical voice, and with Tracy Subisa…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780593181980 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 0593181980 |
| Author: | Kyo Maclear, Tracy Subisak |
| Publisher: | Random House USA Inc |
| Imprint: | Random House Inc |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 48 |
| Release Date: | 21 October 2026 |
| Weight: | 567g |
| Dimensions: | 229mm x 279mm |
| Audience Age: | 4-8 |
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Critics Review
★ “The prose has a refreshing directness, whether it’s playful, irreverent or quietly philosophical. Focused around paying attention and playing along, this singular slow-down book models how doing nothing can feel utterly worthwhile.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Gratifying permission to pause and dwell in the ‘very quiet quiet.’” —Kirkus Reviews
“Maclear offers playful ways of slowing down the body and mind, resulting in a thoughtful, refreshing celebration of rest and renewal.” —The Horn Book
“A gentle celebration of slowing down….This charming picture book reminds readers that rest can be meaningful too, which is an important message for anyone to receive but especially children.” —Booklist
Kyo Maclear
Kyo Maclear’s children’s books have been translated into eighteen languages, published in over twenty-five countries, and nominated for numerous awards, including the Governor General’s Literary Award, the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. Her recent children’s books have received the Caldecott Medal Honor and the Charlotte Zolotow Honor (Noodles on a Bicycle, 2025), and the NYT Best Illustrated Award (There’s a Ghost in the Garden, 2024). She was the recipient of the 2023 Vicky Metcalf Award for Young People for her body of work. In addition to writing for children, Kyo is also a novelist and widely published essayist. She is on faculty with the University of Guelph Creative Writing MFA.
Tracy Subisak is the author and illustrator of Sorry, Snail and award-winning Jenny Mei Is Sad, and the illustrator of several picture books including Amah Faraway and This Book Is Not For You!. Her books have been featured in publications such as the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal. Subisak has a background in design and is an experienced yoga teacher. She is of Polish and Taiwanese heritage and a believer that stories connect us all in some way.
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