0
    • Elementary Secondary Higher Ed Common Reads
    0 0
    Download high-resolution image

    The Inactivity Book

    Author Kyo Maclear
    Audiobook Download
    Audio | Listening Library
    On sale Sep 22, 2026 | 10 Minutes | 9798217352739
    Preschool - 3
    Add to cart Add to list Exam Copies

    See Additional Formats
    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 Subisak’s whimsical illustrations, here is a funny ode to the lost art of loafing. In a world that often celebrates productivity, this picture book reminds us of the quiet, necessary joy of simply being. It's perfect for idlers of all ages--because who doesn’t need a little inactivity now and then?
    KYO MACLEAR is an award-winning novelist, essayist, and children's author. Her books have been translated into eighteen languages and published in over twenty-five countries. She is the author of the hybrid memoir Birds Art Life (2017), winner of the Trillium Book Award. Kyo holds a doctorate in environmental humanities and is on faculty at the University of Guelph Creative Writing MFA.
     View titles by Kyo Maclear

    About

    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 Subisak’s whimsical illustrations, here is a funny ode to the lost art of loafing. In a world that often celebrates productivity, this picture book reminds us of the quiet, necessary joy of simply being. It's perfect for idlers of all ages--because who doesn’t need a little inactivity now and then?

    Author

    KYO MACLEAR is an award-winning novelist, essayist, and children's author. Her books have been translated into eighteen languages and published in over twenty-five countries. She is the author of the hybrid memoir Birds Art Life (2017), winner of the Trillium Book Award. Kyo holds a doctorate in environmental humanities and is on faculty at the University of Guelph Creative Writing MFA.
     View titles by Kyo Maclear

    Additional formats

    Other Books by this Author

    Related Articles

    Social Studies & History

    Books for Black History Month

    In honor of Black History Month this February, we are highlighting essential fiction and nonfiction for students, teachers, and parents to share and discuss this month and beyond. Join Penguin Random House Education in celebrating the contributions of Black authors and illustrators by exploring the titles here: BLACK HISTORY – ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TITLES Explore these

    Read more

    Books for Black History Month

    Social Studies & History

    Penguin Random House Elementary Education

    © 2026 Penguin Random House

    Back to Top
    0
    Wish List (0)