This Is a Door
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected 27 Oct 2026
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- $12.99
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- Pre-Order
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
A groundbreaking hero’s journey from National Book Award and Newbery Honor winner, Daniel Nayeri! A young boy, a mouse, and a dog set out to find their purpose in this fairy tale adventure told in an innovative visual format that offers a one-of-a-kind reading experience.
This is the tale of a boy named Nothing the Younger, who lives in a city on the mountaintop of a far-off and long-lost country. Everyone calls him Ing, and while he has no parents, he does have two friends: a dog, Pöppy, and a mouse, mOmO. When King Cyrus calls for a hero to find and defeat the Giantess ravaging the countryside, the king’s son, the Wander Prince, answers the call and Ing decides to follow. Along the journey, Ing (and his friends) must traverse the Land of the Dead, survive an encounter with the terrifying wimmelworm, and discover the truth of his mother and father . . . so that he may find what he’s been seeking all along—his best purpose.
The text on each page snakes, climbs, jumps, and explodes into shapes and forms that unravel the story. This Is a Door is full of fun surprises and poignant musings that flip the classic hero’s journey on its head—all in an artistic and inventive package that is a wonder to behold.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Orphaned 12-year-old Nothing—Ing for short—sets out to find his "best purpose" in this rousing mythic fantasy from National Book Award winner Nayeri. Though most people living in Ing's mountaintop city become their parent's apprentice, Ing's father left after the youth's mother died during childbirth, leaving Ing rudderless and alone. When the kingdom's notoriously aimless prince undertakes a mission to find and kill the giantess terrorizing the countryside, it inspires Ing and his friends, Pöppy the dog and mOmO the mouse, to embark on their own quest. Ing initially believes he must find his father to establish his own identity and calling, but as with any hero's journey, the destination proves to be less important than the road. The inspiring tale's text illustrates the intrepid trio's trek; specific words, lines, and passages are arranged to evoke pertinent objects, actions, or emotions, as when a mostly blank opening page concludes with "A boy named Nothing woke up on the floor." Loyal, kindhearted characters navigate complex emotions with grace, while fizzes of gentle humor keep the tone light. It's a visually stunning and remarkably innovative tale. Ages 8–12.
