Mutts creator Patrick McDonnell has revealed plans to release another children’s book, The Gift of Everything, this October. And in a message he shared with us, he revealed the title was inspired by his niece.
Like its predecessor, 2005’s The Gift of Nothing, the new book features the beloved characters from his comic strip. In this holiday story, Mooch the cat is searching for the perfect gift for his best friend, Earl the dog, and questions what is perfect — with the answer being “Everything.”
“My new Mutts picture book, coming out this fall, was born from an offhand comment my niece made at Thanksgiving in 2023,” McDonnell shared. “She told me how much she loved my first children’s book, The Gift of Nothing, and suggested that maybe there was more to say about gifts from the heart.”
McDonnell told us that he plans to share process pieces and behind-the-scenes moments from The Gift of Everything in his newsletter, which you can sign up for on his website. Read his complete message below.
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