Some picture books tell children that being brave means never feeling afraid.
Others offer a much more honest—and comforting—message.
After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again by Dan Santat takes the familiar nursery rhyme character Humpty Dumpty and asks a powerful question:
What happens after the fall?
Instead of ending with Humpty Dumpty's famous accident, this thoughtful picture book explores what comes next. Humpty has survived his fall, but he is now afraid of heights and can no longer enjoy one of his favorite activities: birdwatching from the top of the city wall.
Through Humpty's journey, children discover that recovering from something difficult doesn't always happen quickly.
Sometimes getting back up means taking one small step at a time.
Sometimes courage means trying again even when you're scared.
And sometimes the things we love can help us find our way forward.
What Is After the Fall About?
Everyone knows the nursery rhyme:
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall...
But what happened after Humpty Dumpty fell?
In Dan Santat's story, Humpty is an enthusiastic birdwatcher who loves spending time high above the city. The wall gives him the perfect place to watch the birds he loves.
Then he has his famous fall.
Although the King’s men put him back together, Humpty is no longer the same. He develops a fear of heights that affects almost every part of his life. Even ordinary things, like climbing onto his bed or reaching something on a high shelf, become difficult.
But Humpty misses the birds.
He misses the feeling of being up high.
And eventually, he begins looking for another way to reconnect with something he loves.
His journey becomes a beautiful story about fear, persistence, creativity, healing, and finding the courage to try again.
Why Children Connect with This Story
Fear is a normal part of childhood.
Children may be afraid to:
try something new
climb higher
make a mistake
speak in front of others
go somewhere unfamiliar
return to something that once went wrong
fail after trying hard
After the Fall gives children a character who experiences these feelings too.
Humpty isn't simply told to "be brave."
Instead, readers get to see his struggle.
They see what fear takes away from him.
They see him searching for a solution.
And they see him gradually move toward something that once seemed impossible.
This makes the book an especially powerful story for talking about resilience and overcoming obstacles. Macmillan describes the book as a story about bravery, pursuing dreams, new beginnings, and overcoming fears.
A Story That Opens Meaningful Conversations
One of my favorite things about this book is how many different conversations can come from Humpty's experience.
Ask questions like:
How do you think Humpty feels after his fall?
What things is he afraid to do?
Why does he miss the birds?
What does Humpty do when something doesn't work?
Have you ever been afraid to try something again?
What does it mean to be brave?
Does being brave mean you aren't scared?
How can we help someone who is afraid?
Why do you think Humpty keeps trying?
What do you think will happen next?
These questions encourage children to think beyond simply remembering what happened.
They help children connect the story to their own experiences.
Try These Book-Based Activities
Make a Paper Airplane
Humpty's love of birds inspires him to create something that can fly.
Invite children to make their own paper airplanes.
They can decorate them, test different folds, and see how far each airplane travels.
Turn it into a simple STEM challenge:
Can you design an airplane that flies the farthest?
Children can make predictions, test their designs, and try again.
Just like Humpty, they learn that the first attempt doesn't have to be perfect.
Create a Fear-to-Brave Path
Draw a path with several stepping stones.
On one side write:
"Something I'm afraid to try..."
On the other:
"Something I can try!"
Children can draw or write one small step they could take toward something that feels challenging.
Emphasize that courage doesn't mean doing everything at once.
Sometimes the bravest step is simply taking the next small step.
Birdwatching Adventure
Humpty loves watching birds.
Take children outside and look for birds in your neighborhood or schoolyard.
Provide paper and pencils so children can record:
What birds they see
What colors they notice
Where the birds are
What the birds are doing
How many birds they can find
They can create their own simple birdwatching journal.
Build a Wall
Use blocks, cardboard boxes, LEGO bricks, craft sticks, or recycled materials to create a pretend wall.
How high can children build it?
What happens if they change the base?
Can they make it stronger?
This can become a playful engineering activity connected to the story.
Try, Try Again Challenge
Give children a simple challenge that may take several attempts.
For example:
Build the tallest block tower.
Make a paper airplane fly.
Balance objects.
Create a bridge.
Complete a puzzle.
The goal isn't simply to succeed.
After each attempt, ask:
What could you try differently next time?
This helps children see mistakes as information rather than failure.
Talking About Big Feelings
Humpty's fear creates an excellent opportunity to talk about emotions.
Children can identify feelings such as:
happy → scared → frustrated → discouraged → hopeful → proud
Create emotion cards and ask children to match each feeling to a moment in the story.
Then ask:
What can we do when we feel this way?
Children might suggest:
taking a breath
asking for help
trying again
taking a break
talking to someone
practicing
starting with something smaller
These simple strategies can help children build emotional vocabulary and coping skills.
What Does It Mean to Be Brave?
One of the most important conversations this book can inspire is about bravery.
Children often think that brave people aren't afraid.
But Humpty's story offers another possibility.
Maybe bravery means being afraid and choosing to keep going anyway.
Ask children to think of people who are brave.
Then ask:
Can someone be scared and brave at the same time?
What does courage look like?
Is asking for help brave?
Is trying again brave?
Is making a mistake brave?
This can lead to a meaningful classroom discussion about courage that goes far beyond the story.
Discovering the Story in the Illustrations
Dan Santat's illustrations are an essential part of After the Fall.
The pictures show Humpty's emotions, the changing city around him, and details that help readers understand his journey.
The visual storytelling becomes especially powerful as Humpty's relationship with heights changes.
Try becoming picture detectives.
Pause before reading the words and ask:
What do you notice?
How does Humpty look?
What clues tell us how he feels?
What has changed?
Where is Humpty looking?
What do you think will happen next?
Why do you think the illustrator chose these colors?
What details might we miss if we turn the page too quickly?
Children may notice things that aren't directly explained in the text.
That's where some of the richest conversations begin.
Looking Closely at the Paper Airplane
Humpty's paper airplane is more than just an object in the story.
It represents creativity, persistence, and his desire to reconnect with something he loves.
Children can examine the different attempts Humpty makes.
What works?
What doesn't?
What could he change?
Then invite children to design their own flying creation.
They can draw it first, build it, test it, and improve it.
This turns the story into a natural bridge between literacy and STEM learning.
Exploring Sequencing Through the Story
After the Fall is also a wonderful book for practicing sequencing.
Children can retell the major events:
Humpty loves birdwatching.
He falls from the wall.
He becomes afraid of heights.
His fear changes his everyday life.
He misses watching the birds.
He tries to find another way to connect with them.
He faces a difficult choice.
He finds the courage to move forward.
Children can draw each event, put picture cards in order, or write a simple sentence for each part of the story.
This helps reinforce beginning, middle, and end while encouraging children to think about cause and effect.
Growing Social-Emotional Learning Through Story
There are so many SEL themes woven naturally into this picture book.
Children can explore:
resilience
courage
perseverance
fear
disappointment
coping strategies
self-confidence
problem-solving
growth mindset
asking for help
overcoming obstacles
trying again
The story is especially valuable because Humpty's journey doesn't pretend that fear disappears instantly.
Instead, children see that moving forward can happen gradually.
Growing Language Through Rich Conversations
The story also offers wonderful opportunities for language development.
Children can practice:
describing emotions
making predictions
retelling events
sequencing
explaining cause and effect
expressing opinions
making connections
describing illustrations
comparing before and after
using vocabulary related to fear and perseverance
You can introduce words such as:
fear, courage, obstacle, determined, frustrated, recover, attempt, practice, succeed, overcome, perseverance
Then encourage children to use the words while discussing Humpty's experiences.
A Powerful Mentor Text for Growth Mindset
One of the strongest classroom connections in After the Fall is the idea that we can learn through trying.
Humpty doesn't succeed immediately.
He experiments.
He makes mistakes.
He tries again.
He changes his approach.
And eventually, he discovers a way forward.
This makes the story a wonderful introduction to growth mindset language.
Instead of saying:
"I can't do it."
Children can practice saying:
"I can't do it yet."
Instead of:
"I failed."
Try:
"I learned something."
Instead of:
"It's too hard."
Try:
"What's one thing I can try next?"
Extending the Learning with a Book Companion
One beautiful story can inspire days of meaningful learning.
My After the Fall Book Companion extends the story with literacy activities, vocabulary, comprehension questions, sequencing activities, writing prompts, social-emotional learning, and hands-on extensions inspired by Humpty's journey.
Children can explore the story while practicing important early literacy skills and thinking deeply about fear, courage, perseverance, and personal growth.
The goal isn't simply to finish the book.
It's to help children carry its message into their own lives.
The Story Behind the Famous Fall
Part of what makes After the Fall so clever is that children already know Humpty Dumpty.
They know he fell.
They know the rhyme.
But Dan Santat asks readers to imagine everything that happened after the familiar ending.
That simple idea transforms a well-known nursery rhyme into a completely new story.
Children can even compare the original rhyme with Santat's version.
Ask:
What do we know about Humpty from the nursery rhyme?
What do we learn about him in After the Fall?
How is this Humpty different?
What happened after the original story ended?
Why do you think the author chose Humpty Dumpty for this story?
This makes the book an excellent example of how authors can take a familiar character and imagine an entirely new chapter.
Finding Your Way Back Up
Perhaps the most beautiful idea in this story is that "getting back up" doesn't always mean returning to exactly who you were before.
Sometimes we change.
Sometimes difficult experiences change us.
Sometimes we need to find a new way forward.
And sometimes something we love gives us the motivation to try again.
Humpty's love of birds becomes an important part of his journey.
His fear is real.
But so is his desire to live fully again.
That balance makes the story feel honest, encouraging, and deeply meaningful.
Final Thoughts
Some stories teach children how to be brave.
After the Fall teaches children something even more important:
You can be afraid and still take the next step.
Humpty Dumpty's famous fall may be the part everyone remembers.
But Dan Santat reminds us that the fall isn't the end of the story.
The real story begins afterward.
It is about healing.
It is about trying.
It is about discovering new possibilities.
It is about facing something that once felt impossible and asking:
What if I try again?
And perhaps the most encouraging message of all is this:
Sometimes getting back up doesn't mean being exactly the same as before.
Sometimes it means discovering just how strong you can become.
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