Promotion

25% off sitewide. Make sure to order by 11:59am, 12/12 for holiday delivery! Code BEST25 automatically applied at checkout!

Go to Hachette Book Group home

Search

Site Preferences

Show prices in:

By clicking “Accept,” you agree to the use of cookies and similar technologies on your device as set forth in our Cookie Policy and our Privacy Policy. Please note that certain cookies are essential for this website to function properly and do not require user consent to be deployed.

King of Nothing

Coming Soon
King of Nothing Open the full-size image

Contributors

By Nathanael Lessore

Formats and Prices

On Sale
Mar 10, 2026
Page Count
320 pages
Publisher
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13
9780316588560

Price

$12.99

Price

$16.99 CAD

Format

Format:

  1. Trade Paperback $12.99 $16.99 CAD
  2. ebook $9.99 $12.99 CAD
  3. Hardcover $19.99 $25.99 CAD
  4. Audiobook Download (Unabridged) $27.99
  5. Trade Paperback (Large Print) $14.99 $19.99 CAD

Buy from Other Retailers:

A hilarious and heartwarming young YA comedy about an unlikely connection between two very different teen boys as they grapple with crushes, toxic friendships, and the true meaning of masculinity.
 
Anton Charles and his friends are the kings of the school, and they rule with an iron fist, intimidating classmates and maintaining a reputation built on fear. 
 
But at home, Mum reigns supreme, and after one too many detentions, she cuts off Anton’s internet and decides it’s time for a serious change. She signs him up for the Happy Campers, a local activity group, and Anton’s worst nightmare becomes a reality: Matthew, the school’s biggest dork, is in it too.

Anton can’t imagine anything worse than spending weekends sewing and singing campfire songs with Matthew and his band of geeks—how will he ever keep his reputation intact if anyone finds out? But after Matthew unexpectedly saves Anton’s life, everything changes. 
 
As the boys strike up an unlikely friendship, Anton finds himself questioning everything he thought was true. Maybe there’s more to life than what his friends think of him? Maybe it’s time to rethink what being a “man” really means? 
 
And maybe there are some things more important than being king.

Genre:

  • Praise for King of Nothing:
    Winner of the 2025 Carnegie Shadowers' Choice Medal for Writing 
    Winner of the 2025 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for Older Readers
    Shortlisted for the 2025 Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing
  • "It’s so funny, and so deep. If there was ever a book to get teenage boys (and girls actually) reading, and loving reading, it’s this one. It’s fall down on the floor funny and the dialogue is pitch perfect.”
    Booktrust
  • * "This highly entertaining coming-of-age novel won awards when it was originally published in the U.K. in 2024, and its humor, universal themes, and diverse, well-rounded characters will appeal to American readers. Anton’s hilarious and disarming voice makes the explorations of masculinity, image, and emotional vulnerability accessible and engaging. An accomplished mixture of wit, poignancy, and adolescent insight with an appealing cast of characters.”
    Kirkus, starred review
  • "Already shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Writing, Lessore’s follow-up to Dropping Beats (2025) hits that younger YA sweet spot and packs a punch…. Tackling toxic masculinity head-on, this hilariously written book explores one boy’s battle between his imprisoned father’s legacy and being the man his mom and grandma know him to be."
    Booklist
  • "As he navigates sometimes heavy experiences informed by the pressure of toxic masculinity, Anton’s charismatic and comedic first-person narration details his reluctant friendship with Matthew, whose open vulnerability and willingness to connect with others models for Anton a previously unknown example of moving through the world.”
    Publishers Weekly
  • Praise for Dropping Beats:
    Winner of the 2024 Branford Boase Award
    Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal
    Shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize

    "Funny, bursting with heart, goofy, wise, and did I mention– wildly wonderfully funny." —Jon Scieszka, First National Ambassador of Young People's Literature and Founder of Guys Read

    * “Growls’s lyrics and clever wordplay are woven throughout.… Famous or not, the star of the story shines in this must-have for all YA collections.” 
    SLJ, starred review
  • * “Growls’s lyrics and clever wordplay are woven throughout… Famous or not, the star of the story shines in this must-have for all YA collections.”
    SLJ, starred review
  • “This romp is carried by both Lessore’s knack for situational comedy and ability to create a narrative voice for Shaun that uniquely mixes braggadocio, cluelessness, and an honest desire to do good. The inclusion of class consciousness and mental health…deepen the story, making Shaun’s plight all the more relatable and hilarious.”
    Booklist

You May Also Like

Dropping Beats
Dropping Beats $12.99 $16.99 CAD
Sway with Me
Sway with Me $17.99 $22.99 CAD
This Is My Brain in Love
This Is My Brain in Love $11.99 $15.99 CAD
Where I End and You Begin
Where I End and You Begin $9.99 $12.99 CAD
The Juvie Three
The Juvie Three $8.99

Nathanael Lessore

About the Author

Nathanael Lessore is a British author who can prove it with his passport. His dad is French, and his mom is from Madagascar (the place, not the movie). Growing up on a block in Peckham, Nathanael’s childhood was a vibe. The neighbors were fun, loud, unpredictable, and unique. But most importantly, they were a community. And Nathanael will always authentically represent South London’s diversity and togetherness in the stories he tells. 
When he’s not writing, Nathanael enjoys stargazing at the moon, and standing in doorways. If he wasn’t a writer, he would’ve joined the NFL if not for his lack of talent and basic understanding of the game. His first novel, Dropping Beats (Steady for This in the UK), won the Branford Boase Award and was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal.
 

Learn more about this author