The Inactivity Book

Maclear, Kyo

ISBN 10: 0593181999 ISBN 13: 9780593181997

Publisher: Random House Studio, 2026

Synopsis

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?

About this title

About the Author

Kyo Maclear’s children’s books have been translated into eighteen languages, published in over twenty-five countries and nominated for numerous awards, including the Governor General’s Literary Award, the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. Her recent children’s books have received the Caldecott Medal Honor and the Charlotte Zolotow Honor (Noodles on a Bicycle, 2025), and the NYT Best Illustrated Award (There's a Ghost in the Garden, 2024). She was the recipient of the 2023 Vicky Metcalf Award for Young People for her body of work. In addition to writing for children, Kyo is also a novelist and widely published essayist. She is on faculty with the University of Guelph Creative Writing MFA.

Tracy Subisak is the author and illustrator of Sorry, Snail and award-winning Jenny Mei Is Sad, and the illustrator of several picture books including Amah Faraway and This Book Is Not For You!. Her books have been featured in publications such as the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal. Subisak has a background in design and is an experienced yoga teacher. She is of Polish and Taiwanese heritage and a believer that stories connect us all in some way.

Edition details

• Publisher: Random House Studio
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0593181999
• ISBN 13: 9780593181997
• Binding: Library Binding
• Illustrator: Subisak Tracy
• Number of pages: 48