Picture book written by Susan Hughes and published by OwlKids Books, March 2018
What Happens Next is a raw, realistic story told by an unnamed protagonist who is made to feel different from everybody else—even invisible sometimes. Bullied by a girl at school, our narrator gives a terse script of the related facts (What Her Friends Do: Laugh. What Everyone Else Does: Nothing.) and emotions (How I Feel Sometimes: Bad. Really Bad.).
The narrator takes these hurt feelings home, where Mom listens and offers some ideas. At school the next day, the child confronts the bully by turning a “weirdo” fascination with science into an opportunity to find common ground, and maybe help the bully see the world in a new way.
Spare illustrations in a limited palette of blues and greens convey feeling alone even in the hustle and bustle of a crowded schoolyard. Graphic novel–style panels set a steady pace for the emotional impact of this important story that doesn’t simplify the realities of feeling like an outsider. It’s a powerful starting point for discussions of emotions, empathy, and how we relate to others.
Selected as a Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Book for Kids and Teens, 2018
"A powerful reminder to children that even if we seem completely different, we have enormous commonalities that bind us." (School Library Journal)
"This title is not a cure-all, but it offers a starting point for an important talk in either a family or a classroom setting." (Booklist)
"Immediate and arresting." (Kirkus)