What If…? Then We…: Short, Very Short, Shorter-than-Ever Possibilities
by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Illustrated by Fred Koehler
Boyds Mills Press (February 12, 2019)
Fiction * Imagination & Play
Audience: Ages 5 to 9
Indiebound | WorldCat
Description from GoodReads:
Two polar bear friends have a thrilling adventure as they imagine solutions to a variety of possible situations; their story will show readers how to create their own tales in response to the question "What if...?" in this ingenious picture book.
"What if . . . we got lost far, far, far away, and couldn't find our way home? Then we would become the bravest explorers in the world." So begin the adventures of two intrepid polar bears. Traveling on a ship imagined from an iceberg, the bears encounter magnificent sights and scary situations. When a city made of crayons melts, the bears use pencils to create a beautiful gray world. When all the words in the universe disappear, the bears invent their own language. When something really big and really scary happens, they whistle and hold hands until it's not as big or scary anymore. And when they find their way back home, they're ready to imagine a thousand more possibilities.
This companion title to the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book One Day, The End. is ultimately a book about imagination, friendship, and finding possibilities in the smallest moments.
Thoughts on the book:
In 2015 I was introduced to Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Fred Koehler and their wonderful book, ONE DAY, THE END.
I remember opening the book and simply falling in love with the format and the possibilities for use as a writing mentor text. My first lesson with the book was with a group of kindergarteners. I loved that they could write their first shorter-than-ever stories and have so much fun writing.
Back in January, I had a chance to read the companion book, WHAT IF…? THEN WE… and had that same feeling again. The feeling of falling in love with possibilities, which seemed even more appropriate this time around.
At the end of January, I loaned out my F&G of WHAT IF…? THEN WE to a teacher. It has been a busy few weeks and I am excited to see what she and her students have done with the book.
As I thought about sharing the book with students, I pondered how I would use it. Though I would not usually suggest reading only certain pages of the book, I considered the possibilities of starting with just the “What If” pages and having students come up with their own “Then We” pages. The format and style of the book perfectly lend themselves to creative exploration. I can see partners working together on both their own text and illustrations for the answers to “What If”. I suspect that there would be some equally fabulous suggestions to rival the actual “Then We” pages.
Dotlich and Koehler are the perfect team for this series and they have created a new book that will spark imagination and possibility. I am looking forward to a chance to see the new stories that students create as a result of this fun book
Look for WHAT IF…? THEN WE… at you local indie bookstore and while you are at it, pick up a copy of ONE DAY, THE END.
Check out the other stops in the blog tour:
Monday, 2/11 Simply 7 Interview
Tuesday, 2/12 Storymamas
Wednesday, 2/13 Librarian in Cute Shoes
Thursday, 2/14 Mrs. Knott’s Book Nook
Friday, 2/15 Miss Marple’s Musings
Monday, 2/18 Bridget and the Books
Tuesday, 2/19 Radio, Rhythm and Rhyme
Thursday, 2/21 Kid Lit Frenzy
Friday, 2/22 Unleashing Readers
Book Seed Studio
About the author: Rebecca is a children’s poet and picture book author of titles such as What Can A Crane Pick Up? which received a *starred* review from Publishers Weekly, What is Science? (an AAAS Subaru SB&F prize finalist), Bella and Bean (an SCBWI Golden Kite Honor) and Grumbles From The Forest; Fairy Tale Voices with a Twist (co-authored with Jane Yolen.) She gives poetry workshops, visits classrooms across the country, and speaks at conferences, retreats, libraries and schools to teachers, aspiring writers and students of all ages. Find her at: www.rebeccakaidotlich.com
About the illustrator: Fred Koehler is an artist and storyteller whose real-life misadventures include sunken boats, shark encounters, and hurricanes. Whether free diving in the Gulf of Mexico or backpacking across Africa, Fred’s sense of adventure and awe of nature overflow into his characters’ stories.
Between book projects, Fred also runs a highly-sought after design studio, helping brands across the US tell their own stories. Find him at: www.ilikefred.com
Giveaway:
Thank you to Boyds Mills Press for offering one lucky reader a chance to win a copy of What If…? Then We… Please complete the Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. Winners must have a US mailing address.