Not Nothing

Not Nothing (2024) is a historical fiction middle-grade novel by Gayle Forman. It follows the experiences of 12-year-old Alex, who through his community service at a local retirement home forms a bond with a resident named Josey, who is 107 and ready to share his story of surviving World War II and the Holocaust. Through their friendship, Alex learns about Finding Redemption through Community, The Impact of Storytelling and Intergenerational Bonds, and The Importance of Fighting for Love.

Forman is a celebrated young adult novelist with a background in journalism. Not Nothing received the Georgia Children’s Book Award, the NCTE Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts, the Josette Frank Award (Bank Street) and the Intermediate Sequoyah Book Award Master List in Oklahoma.

This guide is based on the 2024 Aladdin edition.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of mental illness, death, violence, racism, and religious discrimination.

Plot Summary

Josey, a 107-year-old resident of Shady Glen Retirement Home and Holocaust survivor, introduces the story as a reflection on two lives: His own and that of Alex. Alex, age 12, has been sent to Shady Glen for the summer as a form of court-ordered community service. He resents the idea of this being an opportunity, associating the word with false promises from adults and the failure of his past decisions. At first, Alex is angry, guarded, and distrustful, influenced by the trauma of losing contact with his mother and being removed from her care by a social worker.

Alex meets Maya-Jade, a girl whose grandmother lives at the home. Maya-Jade asserts dominance over Alex immediately, assigning him menial tasks as punishment for walking out early. He resents her, clinging to hatred as a source of comfort. His situation seems to get worse each day: Bleach fumes make him nauseous, his meals are unappetizing, and he’s constantly reminded of what he’s lost. In a moment of desperation, he eats from a used food tub and is labeled a “criminal” by Maya-Jade’s grandmother. However, this moment draws the attention of Josey, who recognizes Alex’s pain. When Alex later shows his intelligence during a trivia game, Josey speaks for the first time in five years, calling him a “smart boy.”

After a lockdown requires Alex to do food delivery, he visits Josey’s room and accidentally knocks a painting of Olka, the love of Josey’s life, off the wall. A conversation begins, bridging their lives through shared names and experiences of loss. Josey begins recounting his past with Olka, a fierce and intelligent seamstress denied an education, whose scars reflected years of hardship. Alex, familiar with emotional pain, is captivated by the story. When Josey shares the lesson, “You sew with your hands, not with your eyes” (70), Alex internalizes both the literal and symbolic message. 

Despite initial suspicion from a few residents, Alex’s sincerity is confirmed. He receives a small but powerful reward (his first taste of baklava), which evokes joy and a sense of belonging. As Alex helps more residents and becomes useful around the home, he feels less like an outsider and more like he is capable of growth. Meanwhile, Josey’s story deepens, revealing how Olka taught him to sew and challenged his privilege. Alex is struck by her influence and by Josey’s honesty about transformation and regret.

Outside their bond, Alex begins connecting with others. He comforts Minna, another resident, by doing her nails and listening to her love story. When Josey is nearly transferred due to a cognitive test, Alex’s timely arrival saves him. Later, Alex supports Maya-Jade, who reveals her mother’s cancer. Together, they plan to fight for a pair of elderly lovers, Ginny and Dickie, who are being separated. Their plan to call Ginny’s granddaughter, Lydia, requires sneaking into files, becoming a turning point for Alex as he realizes that doing what is right may conflict with what is legal. This is the first time he consciously uses research, logic, and empathy to advocate for someone else, earning Josey’s praise. Alex feels proud of himself for the first time.

Josey’s memories of WWII unfold as the Nazis take over. In his flashbacks, Olka urges Josey to leave Poland, but he refuses, clinging to hope and comfort. Olka gives Josey a sewing machine. Josey’s reference to himself as “nothing” resonates with Alex, who understands what it feels like to be powerless and useless. When Alex learns that Josey’s mother was eventually killed by the Nazis after developing a mental health disorder, he feels betrayed, believing Josey didn’t do enough to save her, and echoing his own guilt about failing his own mother. Meanwhile, Alex’s bond with Maya-Jade grows when she invites him over; he sees the contrast between their lives but decides to accept it. Together, they begin “Operation Rise,” a storytelling project to honor the resilience of the residents.

Alex begins to reflect more deeply on his time at Shady Glen and the people he’s come to care about. When his social worker suggests asking Josey for a reference letter for his upcoming court date, Alex is overwhelmed with guilt and finally reveals why: He assaulted a boy named Toby with a bat, an act that was then labeled a hate crime. Meanwhile, Josey continues sharing his story of surviving the Holocaust, including how Olka helped him escape a labor camp. She and their friend Adek, who was in the camp with Josey, worked together to bring Josey pieces of material that allowed him to sew together a Nazi uniform. Olka then broke into the camp disguised as a prisoner, and they walked out together. Josey never saw Olka again, but built a life in America with Adek, who became his family.

When Maya-Jade and Alex go to the fair, Alex sees Toby and the truth of his past comes out. Maya-Jade is horrified, and Shady Glen tries to ban him from returning. The social worker takes Alex back one final time so he can tell Josey what he did. Josey forgives him and shares how Olka inspired him to help Alex. He makes Alex promise to write apology letters, take Olka’s portrait, and return to Shady Glen. At court, many people, including Maya-Jade and the residents, show up to support Alex. The judge grants him two more years of community service at Shady Glen. Josey dies, but not before helping Alex believe that he is, and always was, more than “nothing.”