
King of Nothing
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
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For younger readers: Not Nothing, Here in the Real World
For older readers: Best Men
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Start with this bookAbout 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.
Continue reading
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 YA | 79% |
|---|---|
| Friendship for Teens | 51% |
| YA Stories About Boys & Men | 50% |
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