tracybabler's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for sharing this review copy. As always, all opinions are our own.
We are huge Dan Santat fans. His Caldecott-Medal-winning book The Adventures of Beekle came out when the girls were just transitioning into reading and understanding picture books and remains one of the beloved books in our collection. We jumped at the chance to get a review copy of his new book After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again.
Despite our admiration of Santat, I admit that I was slightly less enthusiastic about a retelling of a Mother Goose nursery rhyme. Retellings are becoming overdone, in my opinion, and, well, I’m not such a big fan of nursery rhymes like Humpty Dumpty to begin with. The wonderful thing about After the Fall is that it’s not just a regurgitation of a classic story—it imagines what happens to Mr. Dumpty after he is shattered from his fall.
To fully appreciate the book, readers will want to start with a base understanding of the tale of Humpty Dumpty. We start at the Kings County Hospital, where all the king’s men have successfully put Humpty back together again. Santat has hidden amusing details like the hospital’s name throughout the illustrations, which gives readers a deeper look into the story behind the story.
Although Humpty’s body is pieced back together, his heart and mind are not ready to jump back up on the wall. We learn why Humpty sat on the wall in the first place—he is an avid bird watcher. But since the fall, he’s had to give up sitting among the birds, his favorite cereal on the top shelf, the top bunk of his loft bed, and more.
Humpty is too afraid to climb again, but he is miserable without his birds. He decides to make a well engineered paper bird, which gives him a new way to soar. But a paper bird can’t last forever. One day it gets caught atop the wall, beckoning Humpty to try again.
Humpty, of course, decides to try again and rescues the bird. He crests the top of his ladder, arms raised in victory.
If the book had ended there, it would have been another didactic tale teaching kids to keep trying after they fail. Fortunately, there is one last twist. The final few spreads invite readers to consider what an egg like Humpty really is—not an end state, but one phase in the life of a creature who has even better things waiting for him.
We are huge Dan Santat fans. His Caldecott-Medal-winning book The Adventures of Beekle came out when the girls were just transitioning into reading and understanding picture books and remains one of the beloved books in our collection. We jumped at the chance to get a review copy of his new book After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again.
Despite our admiration of Santat, I admit that I was slightly less enthusiastic about a retelling of a Mother Goose nursery rhyme. Retellings are becoming overdone, in my opinion, and, well, I’m not such a big fan of nursery rhymes like Humpty Dumpty to begin with. The wonderful thing about After the Fall is that it’s not just a regurgitation of a classic story—it imagines what happens to Mr. Dumpty after he is shattered from his fall.
To fully appreciate the book, readers will want to start with a base understanding of the tale of Humpty Dumpty. We start at the Kings County Hospital, where all the king’s men have successfully put Humpty back together again. Santat has hidden amusing details like the hospital’s name throughout the illustrations, which gives readers a deeper look into the story behind the story.
Although Humpty’s body is pieced back together, his heart and mind are not ready to jump back up on the wall. We learn why Humpty sat on the wall in the first place—he is an avid bird watcher. But since the fall, he’s had to give up sitting among the birds, his favorite cereal on the top shelf, the top bunk of his loft bed, and more.
Humpty is too afraid to climb again, but he is miserable without his birds. He decides to make a well engineered paper bird, which gives him a new way to soar. But a paper bird can’t last forever. One day it gets caught atop the wall, beckoning Humpty to try again.
Humpty, of course, decides to try again and rescues the bird. He crests the top of his ladder, arms raised in victory.
If the book had ended there, it would have been another didactic tale teaching kids to keep trying after they fail. Fortunately, there is one last twist. The final few spreads invite readers to consider what an egg like Humpty really is—not an end state, but one phase in the life of a creature who has even better things waiting for him.
jcarsrud's review against another edition
5.0
Great story! This would be perfect for growth mindset.
fionak's review against another edition
5.0
Genius. I will be reading everything else Santat has created.
lispylibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
A beautifully illustrated book about what happened to Humpty after he was put back together by the king's men and learns how to face his fears.
deservingporcupine's review against another edition
5.0
The kids say this is their new favorite. A very cute, inspiring, and surprising story about bad things happening, trauma, and Humpty Dumpty.
lsm239's review against another edition
4.0
What happened to Humpty Dumpty after he fell off the wall? Dan Santat answers this question with a beautifully illustrated book about how to face your fears. Humpty Dumpty was put back together, but has been too afraid to go back to his favorite bird-watching perch on the wall. His fear of heights keeps him from sleeping in his loft bed, or getting his favorite cereals off the high shelves at the store. He eventually makes a paper bird, and flying it helps him feel close again to the skies. But when his bird lands on top of the wall, Humpty must face his fears to retrieve it... and undergoes a magical transformation when he does!
Facing your fears is scary and tricky. This book helps show young readers the wonderful things that can happen when you step out of your comfort zone. The illustrations use contrasting colors, from warm, cheerful colors at the top of the wall to the blue-green shadows at the bottom, to highlight how much Humpty misses being able to experience heights. Often, the illustrations include key information that is missing from the text of the story; for example, what happens to Humpty's bird, or what Humpty becomes at the end of the story.
Some pages are a little more text heavy. This book would probably be most enjoyed by 1st-3rd graders. It would be great as a read-aloud because of its message about facing your fears, but would probably also be enjoyed by individual readers.
Facing your fears is scary and tricky. This book helps show young readers the wonderful things that can happen when you step out of your comfort zone. The illustrations use contrasting colors, from warm, cheerful colors at the top of the wall to the blue-green shadows at the bottom, to highlight how much Humpty misses being able to experience heights. Often, the illustrations include key information that is missing from the text of the story; for example, what happens to Humpty's bird, or what Humpty becomes at the end of the story.
Some pages are a little more text heavy. This book would probably be most enjoyed by 1st-3rd graders. It would be great as a read-aloud because of its message about facing your fears, but would probably also be enjoyed by individual readers.
heatherbermingham's review against another edition
5.0
Okay, but seriously, this is one of the best books I've read this year. I immediately bought it and plan on reading it with my kiddos after break. Perfect for our characteristic of the week, perseverance. I just adore this.