Santat, Dan. After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again. Dan Santat, Illus. Picture Book. Roaring Brook, 10/2017. [32]pp. $17.99. 978-1-62672-682-6. OUTSTANDING. GRADES K-2.
Expanding on the well-known Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme, Santat creates a soaring, non-didactic lesson on the virtues of never giving up and of overcoming one’s fears that is perfect for its intended audience. After his fall, Humpty was put together again in most ways but is now terrified of heights and unable to partake in his passion for birdwatching. He copes by practicing and eventually perfecting the art of making paper birds/airplanes but, as he exclaims, “Unfortunately, accidents happen….” When his creation lands upon the very same wall, he is faced with a dilemma. The understated, direct prose complements the multimedia illustrations. Filled with humorous details, a variety of sizes and color palettes, and wildly varying perspectives, the illustrations carry the book. Humpty himself is a creation showcasing a wide range of emotions to which readers will strongly relate.
Helen Bloch, Oakland Public Library