After the Fall
From the Caldecott Medal-winning creator of The Adventures of Beekle
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- $17.99
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
An inspiring epilogue to the beloved nursery rhyme 'Humpty Dumpty', from the New York Times-bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator of THE ADVENTURES OF BEEKLE and ARE WE THERE YET?
Everyone knows that when Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. But what happened afterwards?
Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat's poignant tale follows Humpty Dumpty, an avid birdwatcher whose favourite place to be is high up on the city wall - that is, until after his famous fall. Now terrified of heights, Humpty can longer do many of the things he loves most.
Will he summon the courage to face his fear?
This masterful picture book will remind readers of all ages that life begins when you get back up.
'More than a nursery rhyme remix, Santat's story speaks boldly to the grip of fear and trauma, and to the exhilaration of mastering it.' - Publishers Weekly
'Santat applies his considerable talent for intertwining visual and textual, whimsy and gravity to his consideration of trauma and the oft-overlooked importance of self-determined recovery ... A validating and breathtaking next chapter of a Mother Goose favorite.' - Kirkus
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
What happened to Humpty Dumpty after his great fall? Santat's tale about facing fear imagines a long recovery. Humpty's lofty perch was his favorite: "I loved being close to the birds." But after his accident, he's scared of heights. Caldecott Medalist Santat (The Adventures of Beekle) paints him sleeping on the floor because his bunk bed is too high; sugary cereals on the topmost grocery shelf are sadly out of reach. The story is set in an otherworldly urban cityscape where billboards and telephone lines frame the spreads; emotional lows are underscored with dim shadows, while high moments are filled with warm, golden light. Humpty finds some consolation in making and flying paper airplanes, but when his plane sails over his wall, he resolves to scale it. Santat places viewers right behind Humpty during his moment of triumph, allowing them to share in it. When fear is conquered, we don't just endure the experience, Santat contends; we become new beings. More than a nursery rhyme remix, Santat's story speaks boldly to the grip of fear and trauma, and to the exhilaration of mastering it. Ages 4 8.