King of Nothing

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4.7

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Author(s)

Nathanael Lessore

Publisher

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Genre(s)

Age Range

12+

Release Date

March 10, 2026

ISBN

978-0316588577

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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.

Editor review

1 review

Intriguing look at the choices teens make

April 09, 2026 (Updated: May 31, 2026)

Overall rating

4.7

Plot

4.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

Anton is being raised in South London by his mother, a project manager for social services charities, while his father is imprisoned for a violent crime. He's in ninth grade, and hangs out with a group of boys including Kehinde, Marcus, and Caleb. The boys see no point in school, other than to harass teachers and goof off, in order to be "cool" in the eyes of their classmates. The fact that Anton's father is in prison makes others somewhat afraid of him, making him even cooler. When he gets into yet another confrontation, and also doesn't take care of his grandmother as well as his mother would like, his mother changes the Wi-Fi password and lets Anton know he won't have access to the Internet for a month. When even this doesn't stop him, she enrolls him in an after-school program called Happy Campers at a center she works with. There, Anton runs in to Matthew, a boy who goes to his school and who is constantly bullied. The center has camping trips, social service projects, and talks from specialists about things like developing healthy behaviors and identities. Reluctant to embrace anything at the center at first, Anton starts to realize that his friends are not making good choices, and he is happier when he engages in healthier behavior. He helps Matthew reinvent himself in order to attract a girl he likes, and develops a relationship with another girl, Rochelle. After his father is released from prison and he can no longer keep his relationship with Matthew secret from Kehinde, Anton must decide which life path he would like to follow.

Good Points

I have seen an unfortunate number of young men like Anton who think it is amusing to disrupt classes, make fun of others, and ignore schoolwork, so this is definitely a realistic book. Being set in London does give it a different flavor, with school uniforms and slightly different interests. Anton is a rather unpleasant character at first, especially when dealing with his ailing grandmother, but he develops as a character in a very constructive way over the course of the book. Matthew is very formal and proper, but struggles with his own family issues. His personality quirks, along with his inclusion in the Happy Campers group, made me wonder if he was on the autism spectrum, but there is no formal diagnosis stated.

Kehinde's treatment of girls and women is problematic, but definitely called out. After the talk at the center, Anton starts to look at his own actions and thinks about how he would feel if people put strictures on his mother's behavior. When he hears similarly toxic opinions from his own father, he takes a critical look at what he might want to change in his own life. It's very insightful of him to want to distance himself from his original friend group.

I definitely appreciated that language and situations were circumspect, and I would not hesitate to hand this to a middle school reader. My only concern is that the book is on the long side and rather British, and the sort of student who would benefit from it might be a bit daunted by the length.

There is a definite lack of books exploring the every day relationships and activities of older teen boys, so this was good to see. Lessore has written several other books that maye not be available in the US, but I will have to look into his 2025 Dropping Beats. This is a good companion to Jung's The Boys in the Back Row, Brown's Rhythm & Muse, and Ross's The Amazing Beef Squad: Never Say Die.

Karen Yingling, Staff Reviewer #1 Reviewer 2464 reviews

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1 review

Overall rating

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Plot

5.0(1)

Characters

5.0(1)

Writing Style

5.0(1)

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A Surprisingly Deep and Funny Coming-of-Age Story

April 23, 2026 (Updated: May 31, 2026)

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

5.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

I found this book to be way more meaningful than I expected going in. At first, it feels like a funny story about a “popular” guy who acts tough and doesn’t care about school, but it quickly turns into something deeper about identity and what it actually means to grow up.

Anton is not the easiest character to like at the beginning. He and his friends spend most of their time messing around, bothering people, and trying to look cool. But what makes the story work is that you start to see why he acts that way. His home life and the pressure to keep up a certain image play a big role in how he behaves. Over time, you can see him slowly questioning those choices, which makes his character development feel real and earned.

Matthew is the complete opposite, and their dynamic is honestly one of the best parts of the book. What starts as an awkward and forced interaction turns into a genuine friendship. I liked that their relationship was not perfect or instant. It takes time, and there are moments where Anton has to decide whether he cares more about his reputation or about doing the right thing.

The Happy Campers program adds a lot to the story too. At first, it seems like something Anton would hate, but it ends up being where most of his growth happens. The activities and conversations there push him to think differently about things like respect, masculinity, and how he treats others. It is not preachy, but it still gets its message across clearly.

I also liked how the book handles heavier topics like toxic friendships and family influence. Anton starts to notice how the people around him shape his behavior, and that realization is a big turning point. It makes the story feel realistic, especially for teens who might be dealing with similar pressures.

Overall, I found King of Nothing to be a really strong mix of humor and character growth. It starts off light but ends up saying a lot about change, choices, and becoming a better person.

Good Points

Strong character development that feels realistic and gradual

Meaningful exploration of masculinity and toxic friendships

A balanced mix of humor and deeper life lessons