STORY OF THE EVERYTHING, THE NOTHING, AND OTHER STRANGE STORIES

A surreal trip to the unknown, full of possibilities and nothingness.

Translated from Hungarian, this unique picture book consisting of short stories challenges young readers to think outside the box and ponder the nature of the world we live in as well as the limitless opportunities of the worlds we don’t. Each tale starts off with the time-honored “Once upon a time” and is accompanied by a dreamlike collage illustration. The first half of the collection features existential stories that focus on “nothing,” “anything,” and “everything,” while the second half consists of more straightforward, fablelike narratives that tackle the larger concepts highlighted in the earlier stories. Many (though not all) of the tales ask readers related questions, highlighted in an all-caps bolded font: “What else do you think wasn’t in this nothing?” “This is an unfinished story. How would you tell it?” This is a lofty attempt to show young readers the infinite nature of our world; many of the concepts will go over the heads of those most likely to pick this book up. The illustrations waffle between fanciful and bizarre, potentially putting young readers further off. Older readers, who might be able to comprehend the complex subject matter, may be turned off by the format.

An ambitious, phantasmagorical work, though unlikely to resonate with its target audience.