Something went wrong. What now?
Nobody in these books gets it right the first time — and that’s the point.
“What now?” is a question, not a lesson. The child is the one deciding.
Meet the crew
Five friends, five ways of being. Nobody is the smart one, and nobody gets fixed — each one’s best quality is also the thing that lands them in trouble.
RIPPLE
The one who is already doing it
FIG
Giant feelings, giant heart
SLATE
The planner
NOOK
The one who notices first
SLURP
On every page. Never explained.
Can you find Slurp?
Slurp is hiding in every single picture in every book — every story page, the title page, even the pages for grown-ups. Slurp steals things. Slurp never explains why. Slurp is a little harder to find on every page than the one before.
A tap-to-find Slurp hunt and a printable checklist are on the way. Sign up below and I’ll send them when they land.
The books
One book, one situation — the one your child actually yelled this week. Same five friends every time, a different one leading.
NOOO! I LOST!
Fig melts down when the game doesn’t go Fig’s way.
42 pages · 8.5″ square · ages 4–7
NOBODY INVITED ME!
Nook is left out.
I CAN’T DO IT!
Quitting the moment it gets hard.
BUT I WASN’T FINISHED!
Ripple talks over everyone.
THAT WASN’T THE PLAN!
Slate when the plan changes.
I DIDN’T MEAN TO!
Broke it, hurt someone, won’t repair it.
Downloads
Free coloring pages, one per book — the same activity page that’s printed inside. Print as many as you like, at home, in a classroom, or in a waiting room.
Color the one that’s most like you
Four things Fig tries when losing gets too big — take a deep breath, take a minute, count to 10, squeeze your hands tight — and an empty box for the child to draw their way. None of the four is marked correct, which is the point of the whole series.
US Letter · PDF · prints in black and white. Slurp is on it too.
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Book OneI LOST!
Download coloring page -
Book TwoNOBODY INVITED ME!
Coming with the book -
Book ThreeI CAN’T DO IT!
Coming with the book -
Book FourBUT I WASN’T FINISHED!
Coming with the book -
Book FiveTHAT WASN’T THE PLAN!
Coming with the book -
Book SixI DIDN’T MEAN TO!
Coming with the book
For grown-ups
Every book carries a companion guide for the adult reading it — parents at home, teachers in a classroom, counsellors in an office. It is not a lecture and it is not homework. It explains what the story is quietly doing, and gives you the seven small moves the book itself demonstrates.
- CONNECT
- NOTICE
- ASK
- TRY
- CHECK
- PLAN B
- REPAIR
The goal is not perfect behaviour, instant calm, or guessing the answer the grown-up wants. It is helping a child move from reacting toward noticing, choosing, trying and repairing — with you alongside, and gradually with less of you.
Free printables — the seven-step card for the fridge, a classroom read-aloud guide, and the Slurp Hunt checklist — are being prepared. The coloring page is ready now. The guide’s research sources are cited in the back of every book.
Questions
What are WHAT NOW BOOKS?
A picture-book series for ages 4 to 7. Each book takes one hard moment — losing a game, being left out, giving up — and stays in the minute right after it happens.
What is book one about?
NOOO! I LOST! WHAT NOW? Fig loses a board game and cannot get past it. Nook says take a minute, Ripple says play again, Slate says someone had to lose. None of the ideas help. Fig tries something nobody suggested.
What age are these books for?
Ages 4 to 7. Book one is 42 pages, 8.5 inches square.
Do the books teach a coping strategy?
No. There is deliberately no right answer and nobody gets fixed. The feeling is still there on the last page. The lesson is to try something new next time, not to have found the correct thing this time.
Is there anything for grown-ups?
Yes. Every book has a companion guide in the back: what to say, what can backfire, and what to do when a child is too upset to problem-solve — plus a make-your-own-Slurp activity.
Who are the characters?
Fig, Nook, Ripple, Slate and Slurp. Five friends, five ways of being. Nobody is the smart one, and each one’s best quality is also what lands them in trouble.
Who writes and illustrates them?
Christine McCormick Liddle, published by True North Originals, LLC.
Be first to know
New books, free printables, and the Slurp hunt. No more than a handful of emails a year.