AFTER THE FALL: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again by Dan Santat.    New York: Roaring Book Press, 2017. 32p. ISBN 978-162672-6826 hc. $17.99     Gr. K-2     E PIC

Just like the nursery rhyme, this story starts out when Humpty Dumpty has a great fall.  This time, however, the king’s men at the hospital were able to put him together again.  His shell soon healed, but emotional scars set in.  The fear of falling - from any elevation - soon changed Humpty’s daily routines, causing him to miss out on his favorite activities, especially bird watching.  With some paper, tape, and glue, Humpty built paper models of birds, and modified them and adjusted them and tried to make them fly until he “got it just right.”  His determination and success with simple technology prompted Humpty to conquer his fear of falling, and he soon climbed back up that same wall he fell from.  Enjoy Santat’s fabulous art, which is half of the storytelling experience.  Readers will “crack up” at the surprise ending!
Lynette Suckow, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI