What If…? Then We…: Short, Very Short, Shorter-Than-Ever Possibilities
Author: Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Illustrator: Fred Koehler
Published February 19th, 2019 by Boyds Mills Press
Summary: 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.
Follow Rebecca @Rebeccakai and Fred @Superfredd
Review: Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Fred Koehler are a super team! I love so many of their books without each other and their books together are only that much more special. Their imagination will take readers on adventures through places they’ve only dreamt of and will help them realize that their imagination can take them anywhere they can dream of. This newest book by the duo not only promotes imagination but also grit, courage, resilience, and friendship. These two polar bear cubs go on a fantastical adventure which will leave the readers wanting to know what is going to happen next. This book is full of possibilities in story that will be adored by so many readers!
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: WRITING MENTOR TEXT ALERT! Two ideas: 1) Have students write and illustrate their own “What If…? Then We…” stories. 2) Have students illustrate the words in the original text showing what else the words could mean.
Discussion Questions:
- What if? Then We!
- What other adventures could this story have been telling?
Flagged Passages:
Read This If You Love: One Day, The End by Rebecca Kai Dotlich; The Knowing Book by Rebecca Kai Dotlich; Super Jumbo by Fred Koehler; Penguin books by Salina Yoon
Recommended For:
Don’t miss the other Blog Tour stops:
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 KidLit Frenzy
Friday, 2/22 Unleashing Readers
Book Seed Studio
Giveaway!
**Thank you to Boyds Mills for providing books for review and giveaway!**
It’s fun to meet you, Kellee & to land on your blog in celebration of
WHAT IF? … THEN WE…
Navigating around here is a good education – especially finding the biography book recommendations. Many appreciations.
I love finding “grit” in your review of this adventurous new picture book.
Glad we are blog pals this week!
Bookseedstudio/Jan Godown Annino
I think these bears are quite delightful!
I am super excited to read this clever and fun book as mentor text for my picture book writing.
I love Rebecca and Fred’s latest homage to CREATIVITY and IMAGINATION. Can’t wait to read this and to gift it to my 3 year old grandgirl who is at the perfect stage for making up amazing stories. I know this book will inspire other little ones (and older ones who will model!!!) Terrific.
After I initially left a comment I appear to have clicked the
-Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on each time a comment is added I receive four emails with the same comment.
Perhaps there is a way you can remove me from that service?
Thanks!