King of Nothing by Nathanael Lessore

King of Nothing

Nathanael Lessore

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers · Hardcover · March 10, 2026

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.

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Who it’s for
A warm, funny YA read where friendship unsettles school hierarchies and narrow ideas of manhood.
Genres
Funny YA, Friendship for Teens, YA Stories About Boys & Men
Published
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, March 10, 2026

About this book

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.

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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.

More Than Status

A warm, funny YA read where friendship unsettles school hierarchies and narrow ideas of manhood.

Come here for

  • School-status comedy with an unexpectedly tender friendship
  • A thoughtful rethink of masculinity without losing the laughs

Expect

  • Playful humor alongside questions about crushes and toxic friendships
  • An identity-shaping story about looking beyond reputation

Where it sits

Funny YA79%
Friendship for Teens51%
YA Stories About Boys & Men50%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • YA Stories About Boys & Men
  • Funny YA
  • Bullying for Teens
  • Friendship for Teens
Authors
Nathanael Lessore
Publisher
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published
March 10, 2026
Format
Hardcover
Reading lane
YA Stories About Boys & Men