Introducing the inspiring tale of bravery featured in this week’s MaiStoryBook Library Collection:

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

*~Click here to purchase your own copy of *After the Fall* to start on your own reading adventure! (This is an affiliate link~ 5% of your purchase will go to MaiStoryBook to help create Reading Resources for your littles)~*

Book Synopsis and Review

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men

Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

Or could they…?? Humpty Dumpty is alive and back! But although his cracks may be sealed and he’s all put together again, something is still broken…on the inside. He is an egg who can no longer do what he loves ~ scale the walls in search of the highest ledge to watch the birds soar* Now, with a new fear of heights, Humpty Dumpty is grounded. From the streets he arches his neck to stare up at the birds through his binoculars. One day, a paper plane flies by~ and sparks an idea* When his new paper plane zooms over the wall, Humpty Dumpty is left with a choice~ either face his fears and climb the wall…or continue to miss out on all of the things he loves. Can Humpty Dumpty face his fears and *get back up again??*

A beautiful tale about bravery, this book is written by one of my favorite authors, Dan Santat. You may  recognize him as the author from a past featured storybook, *The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend.* Just as like in the Beekle book, be prepared for another innovative tale filled with beautiful illustrations to make your imaginations soar. I highly recommend this book for its inspiring message: to have the courage to face your fears~You’ll never know what new heights you can reach when you get back up again! Read this book to your little ones to encourage them to face their challenges  one step at a time~*

Vocabulary List

• Folks (p. 2) people
• Grand (p. 2)  very important
• Managed (p. 3) successful in doing something
• Admit (p. 22) say that something is true
• Terrified (p. 22) very scared

Themes/Main ideas

• Courage: Having the courage to face your fears can lead to new beginnings
• Don’t give up: Even when you fall, if you can’t do something the first time, always get back up and try again. You never know what new heights you can achieve.

YouTube Video: Guided Shared-Reading Read Aloud Example

Example of a shared-reading, interactive Read Aloud of “After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again” – how to subtly introduce the vocabulary list words within the text, ask guided questions, and spark conversation!

*~Check it Out~*

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Hatching Bravery Reading Buddy Craft

In this month of giving thanks~ I am thankful for inspiring books such as this one, that give children the courage to stretch their wings and learn to fly! Humpty Dumpty was never my favorite nursery rhyme. An egg falling off the wall had no appeal to me~Plus, it had a pretty bad ending. But what Dan Santat has done with this tale brings flutter of hope and joy to my heart! I’ve definitely had my fair share of *great falls,* and finding the courage to *get back up again* required tremendous effort and bravery. You are put into an extremely vulnerable situation~ and your last memory is of failure. However, I was lucky enough to have support every step of the way, and it absolutely took one step at a time to make my way back up. I am thankful for the overwhelming love and faith in me that I received from my family and friends. I can proudly say that I have reached new heights since that major fall. This week’s craft serves as a symbolic reminder of the glory of starting again, and finding and opening your wings! Enjoy the afternoon with your little ones, giving them the wings to fly~*

Materials

• Downloadable *Hatching Bravery* Template
• Markers/ colored pencils/ crayons
• Pencil/Pen
• Scissors
• Glue/tape

Directions for Humpty Dumpty Egg 

• Choose a ”Humpty Dumpty” template. There are colored and black and white versions with two different prompts : “After a Fall I…” “I am BRAVE…”
• If you chose the black and white version, color it in and don’t forget to put your name.
• Cut the egg in half on the dotted line so that you have two pieces. The “Bird” template will go in between the two pieces and attach them together.

• Next, choose a ”Bird Template”. There are colored versions, or black and white versions.
• There are also different inside-template options: all lines for writing, lines and a space for pictures, blank for a picture.
• On the inside- answer the prompt. Write or draw about a time you were brave and did something that was hard for you or that you were scared to do, or a time where you “got back up again” after a fall
• Cut out/color the bird template.

• Attach the tabs on the wings to the left and right crack pieces of Humpty Dumpty. (approximately near behind the eyes)Then fold the bird so that when you connect the pieces of the egg, the bird isn’t visible.
• When you pull apart Humpty, the bird should open up and spread its wings to reveal the inside.

Enjoy Your Hatching Bravery Reading Buddy Craft!

• Read the story again with your new reading buddy, hatching your Humpty Dumpty Craft at the end of the book when Humpty Dumpty transforms into a bird.
• Share this craft of inspiration with family and friends to give them courage and encouragement to face their challenges.
• Use it as a reminder to your little one to have the bravery to spread their wings and fly!

*~Overall, have fun creating your own Hatching Bravery Crafts, and I hope you and your little ones have the courage to face a new challenge this week! Please comment below  – tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary  – or post on FaceBook to share your photos of your own *Hatching Bravery Crafts* and your own adventures of bravery! I’d love to hear from you!~*

*Check Back on Next Friday for our New Reading Adventure*

*~Until next time, Happy Reading~*