What Happened to You? Written by James Catchpole, illustrated by Karen George

James Catchpole has written this tremendous children’s book about a group of children who meet in the park. The main character, Joe, has one leg. He is busy being a pirate and trying to catch a shark when his play is interrupted by the question “What happened to you?”  

This book puts you straight into Joe’s shoe. He was thoroughly enjoying his imaginary play, and he was having a great time. Joe is distracted by the child’s question, and her questions quickly draw the attention of other children. They all start to guess what happened to Joe’s other leg, but Joe would really rather his privacy was respected. 

One of the children realises that Joe would rather not talk about his leg, and she suddenly spots a crocodile. She introduces herself as Simone, and she and Joe quickly become engrossed in an imaginary world in which all physical differences fade away. The other children immediately join in the fun, and Joe is accepted for being himself, without the intrusive questions. 

This book emphasises that we are all curious, yet getting to know someone before asking lots of questions is important. 

We are all different, and it is hugely important for children to learn about boundaries, and understand how to treat each other with respect. At the end of this book, the author has written some helpful tips for adults when it comes to supporting your child’s curiosity about disabled people.  

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