Not Much

Not Much, is a quiet tale with a loud message.

Set over a single winter week, this rhyming story follows a boy named Leo who receives the ultimate Christmas present: a brand-new phone. But as the screen takes hold, something strange starts to happen. Not to him, around him.

Marching bands of monkeys. Dragons above rooftops. Woolly pirates and star-wrapped aliens. One by one, wonders appear, and pass him by.

This is not a book about blame. It is not anti-technology. It is a gentle mirror, showing how much can be missed when we stop looking up. With warmth, humour, and a touch of quiet sadness, Not Much, Really is as much for the adults reading it as the children they read it with.

I call them phone zombies, I see them all the time.  People walking down the street on their phones, everyone gets walked into by one these days. I’m not against phones. I use mine all the time. But I couldn’t stop thinking about how easy it is to miss what matters. Not the big things, the small ones. The kind of moments you can’t repeat. The ones that pass by quietly and never come back.

Not Much isn’t a warning. It’s just a reminder. For all of us. To notice more. To lift our heads now and then. To pay attention to the people and places we love, while they’re still right in front of us.

I hope it sparks some good conversations.

Scott Pettifer

1. Presence over distraction
At its heart, the book is about being here, truly here. It gently shows how much wonder can be missed when attention is elsewhere, even during the most magical moments.

2. The unseen magic of everyday life
Monkeys, dragons, giants, aliens, it’s all metaphor. The story speaks to the joy and richness of imagination, nature, and simple interactions that often go unnoticed.

3. Technology isn’t the enemy, disconnection is
This isn’t a rejection of phones or devices. It’s a call to balance. To make space for the world beyond the screen, and for the people we share it with.

4. Intergenerational wisdom
The quiet presence of Granddad symbolises something steady and grounded, a contrast to the constant flicker of tech. He offers no lecture, only space and attention. That matters.

5. Reflection and regret
Leo doesn’t even realise what he’s missed. But we do. The story creates a moment of pause, for readers of any age to ask: what have I been walking past?