Common Sense Media Review
By Stephanie Snyder
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sweet story offers representation, promotes empathy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? opens with young Joe playing imaginative games at the playground, only to be brought back to reality as multiple kids begin to ask the personal question: What happened to you? James only has one leg, and his peers want to know why. Their curiosity leads them to propose outlandish and outrageous ideas about what happened to Joe's other leg -- "Did it fall off?" and "Was it a lion?" All of this leads Joe to grow increasingly frustrated. But when one girl squashes the question to get back to playing, Joe and the rest of the kids follow suit. Now, instead of being referred to as "Kid One" and "Kid Number Four", the kids at the playground have names, showing readers that a little bit of empathy goes a long way to humanize us all.
Is It Any Good?
James Catchpole's first picture book is a win, offering representation for the differently abled and a lesson in respect for the typically abled. What Happened To You? is honestly written and sweetly illustrated to capture the curiosity of small children. Yet regardless of how curious little ones may be, author James Catchpole teaches that not every question yields an answer. The book shifts an awkward experience to a unifying moment that small kids can relate to. There's so much to teach through this simple story about sensitivity - perhaps most importantly, the idea that people who are disabled shouldn't automatically be a teachable moment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about empathy in What Happened to You? Why did Joe feel frustrated when the other kids kept asking what happened to his leg? How did Joe feel when the other kids started playing with him without asking what happened to him? Why?
Think about your friends. How are you alike? How are you different?
Why do you think the author wrote this story? What did he want readers to learn? Did you learn the lesson?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Karen George
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Empathy
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : April 11, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 40
- Available on : Paperback, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Awards : ALA Best and Notable Books , Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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