Harvey Awards Hall of Fame inductee and MUTTS creator Patrick McDonnell celebrated the 20th anniversary of his all-ages magnum opus, The Gift of Nothing, with a heartfelt follow-up, The Gift of Everything. Both The Gift of Everything and The Gift of Nothing Anniversary Edition were published on October 7, 2025, published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Read the full description of The Gift of Everything below:
In The Gift of Everything, Mooch the cat is searching for the perfect gift for his best friend, Earl the dog. But what, wonders Mooch, is perfect? Mooch soon discovers the answer: Everyone… Everywhere… Everything! As he sees the world around him with new eyes and a fresh feeling of gratitude, Mooch is delighted that he has just the right person to share it all with! In this joyful rhyming companion to The Gift of Nothing, the stars of the beloved comic strip MUTTS discover and celebrate the precious gift of being alive.
The Beat caught up with McDonnell over email to discuss his recently released book, The Gift of Everything, why gratitude is so important, and how he has grown through his work as a creator.
OLLIE KAPLAN: The Gift of Everything is described as a “joyful rhyming companion” to The Gift of Nothing. Can you elaborate on the relationship between the two books?
PATRICK MCDONNELL: Twenty years ago, I wrote The Gift of Nothing, which was inspired by a two-week-long MUTTS comic strip story about Mooch trying to find the perfect gift for his best friend, Earl. He discovers that the best gift is the giving of yourself and spending time together.
The Gift of Everything continues that journey. It’s a joyful, rhyming celebration of life’s abundance: friendship, nature, love, and gratitude. If The Gift of Nothing was about inner peace and simplicity, The Gift of Everything is about opening your heart to the fullness of the world.
KAPLAN: How has your artwork—from your comic strips to your large-scale paintings—evolved throughout your career?
MCDONNELL: When you do something like a comic strip almost every day you can’t help but evolve with it. It’s a slow, steady growth. You’re not even aware of the changes. The characters, the storytelling, the art style all naturally transform. You can see that looking at the history of any particular comic strip.
I also see an evolution in my paintings, but it is happening at a faster pace. That medium leaves much more room for experimenting and play.
It’s about learning things, but it’s also about unlearning things. You live for the happy surprises. It’s all part of one creative practice.
KAPLAN: Related, how has the evolution of your artwork impacted your activism, or vice versa?
MCDONNELL: The more I drew MUTTS and try to see the world through the eyes of animals, the more connected I feel to all living things. I have this quote hanging in my studio: The most important question to ask about any work is: “How does this serve the world?”
KAPLAN: Similar to your recently released Mutts collection, The Little Things, your next book, The Gift of Everything, seems to emphasize mindfulness, gratitude, and the notion of “everything” as a gift. How do you understand “everything” in this context, and how do you hope readers will interpret it?
MCDONNELL: When Mooch discovers that everything is a gift, he is seeing the world with eyes of wonder. “Everything” is the sunshine, the air we breathe, the people and animals we love, all the small miracles we usually take for granted.
I hope readers, young and old, finish the book with a little more awareness of how rich life already is. Gratitude helps us realize that we already have everything we need.
KAPLAN: Why is gratitude so important?
MCDONNELL: Gratitude shifts how we experience the world. It turns what we have into enough and more. It helps us live in the moment, to notice the beauty that’s always around us. It’s the foundation of kindness, empathy, and joy.
KAPLAN: Is having gratitude for the little things part of why your MUTTS strips are so meta?
MCDONNELL: MUTTS was and is inspired by my studying my pets. So it has always been about the “little things.” A nap in a sunbeam, a walk with a friend, a kind gesture. I love exploring life from the perspective of animals because they remind us how to be present. The book I did with Eckhart Tolle describes our companion animals as Guardians of Being.
The meta moments, like when Mooch and Earl seem aware they’re in a comic strip, are playful ways to remind us to pause and notice the moment we’re in. I’ve always loved art about art.
KAPLAN: As someone who lives in the San Diego area, I’m intrigued by your book tour stop in Encinitas, California… Did you hope to partner with other Humane Societies while on tour, or is there something unique about this event?
MCDONNELL: Thank you for asking about this. My friends Pam and Jerry Cesak are hosting this fundraiser which is in partnership with the Rancho Coastal Humane Society. This link has more information: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/patrick-mcdonnell-with-jerry-cesak-rancho-coastal-fundraising-event-tickets-1717290144049
I hope you can attend! I’ve been fortunate to partner with many humane societies and shelters over the years. Through MUTTS, we’ve helped raise awareness and funds for animal adoption. This stop celebrates that ongoing connection between art, community, and compassion.
KAPLAN: You’ve discussed how The Gift of Everythingwas inspired by a comment your niece made. How has writing it (and maybe even promoting it) changed your own life or relationships?
MCDONNELL: My niece jokingly suggested that maybe I should write The Gift of Everything after The Gift of Nothing. I laughed at first, but the idea stayed with me. While writing it, I became more mindful myself, more aware of how much there is to be thankful for. Promoting it has been joyful because it reminds me daily to try to live the message of the book: that every moment, every person, and every breath is part of that gift.
KAPLAN: Something I’m personally interested in is research about the unique ability of the comics medium to create empathy… What is your perspective?
MCDONNELL: The daily comic strip comes into your life every day and, after a while, the characters become good old friends, part of your family. They can create empathy in a unique way because they simplify the world. We see emotion and truth in just a few lines. That simplicity lets readers project themselves into the story. You can imagine what the characters feel. It’s amazing that a simple drawing of a cat and a dog can open people’s hearts to kindness toward all beings. That’s the magic of comics.
KAPLAN: Can you share with us one of your favorite animal-related memories? And what did you learn about your own humanity in that moment?
MCDONNELL: For me, it’s anytime I look into the eyes of an animal. I can sense that connection of another soul looking back at me. We’re all one, sharing this time here together.
KAPLAN: Is there anything else you would like to add?
MCDONNELL: I’m grateful that I get to share these stories and that readers continue to connect with them. The world can feel overwhelming at times, but if we slow down and look closely, there’s still so much beauty and goodness everywhere. That’s what The Gift of Everything is really about.
Check out the preview pages below:
The Gift of Everything is currently available for purchase. Get your copy here!
English (US) · 