After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again by Dan Santat

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Figure 1. After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again book cover (2019).

Evaluation of Book

After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again by Dan Santat tells the story of Humpty Dumpty’s life after the great fall off of the wall in the Mother Goose nursery rhyme. In this story, Humpty Dumpty is physically put back together again, but he now fears heights and feels depressed. However, he starts to put his life back together again and soon learns that while accidents happen, you need to keep going.

Dan Santat tells a wonderful story, making the plot the most important part of his story. Humpty Dumpty originally loved to climb walls so that he could bird watch. However, after the fall, he feels afraid to climb anything. Therefore, he puts his efforts into something new, creating the ultimate paper airplane. Over time he masters this and finds joy in his new hobby. Until one day when his paper airplane flies over the wall that he fell from. This is the moment that defines him: he must master his fears or forever be sad and afraid.

Dan Santat does an amazing job of providing interesting asides through the illustrations in After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again. At the start of the book, the name of the hospital is Kings Country Hospital, referencing the nursey rhyme. However, in this book, the king’s men were able to put him together again. Another detail added, Humpty won a prize for birdwatching, known because of the framed newspaper on the wall of his room. Though the most interesting twist added by the pictures is the setting, this book originates in an Asian city. This is understood because the style of buildings and Asian symbols on signs in the background. All of these asides add to the story, making it more interesting.

The illustrations also do a great job of establishing the mood. To represent the depressed feeling of Humpty Dumpty, the author uses dark colors when showing the wall he fell from along with the shadow it casts on the street and his life. Even the cereal he picks up at the store is drab colored and named Bo-Rings, implying it is boring. In contrast, the higher up cereals that he can only get if he climbs a ladder are bright, cheerful looking with names like happy-os with a happy face. However, when Humpty makes the ideal paper airplane, the day brightens and the colors of the airplane are cheery: bright orange, yellows, and a green. Spoiler alert: Also, when Humpty conquers his fear and reaches the top of the wall again, he is transformed into a glorious, bright plumaged bird that soars towards the sun.

Response

While reading After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again by Dan Santat, I related to the fear brought about by an accident. Recently I was in a car accident, and the injuries I walked away with were more than just physical. A seed of fear was planted. Due to this, I pulled back from playing with my son for a while, fearing my neck might be worsened due to him accidentally hurting me. However, like in the story, as I get better, I willingly do more with my son. Also, the idea of getting back up and trying again and again agrees with my view of life. Everyone needs to keep moving forward, even when accidents and mistakes happen. That is the only way a person can live life to its fullest. And because I identified with the theme of the story along with loving the art, I enjoyed this text. In fact, I already looked up other books written by the author and plan to find them and read them also.

Conclusion

After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again by Dan Santat is a wonderful book about learning to keep moving forward even when accidents happen. This is a great book for all ages because we all need to be reminded that staying depressed and fearing life is no way to live. Out of four stars, this book earns all four.

Citation

Santat, D. (2017). After the fall: how Humpty Dumpty got back up again. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press.

Willis, C. (2019). After the fall: how Humpty Dumpty got back up again book cover (photo). Retrieved April 28, 2019 from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_GB8ihAPfXUVeAulMdjWzDF5VLypIfGj/view?usp=sharing