What Happens Next

What Happens Next is a raw, realistic story told by an unnamed protagonist who feels different from everybody else, like she doesn’t quite fit in. 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.).

She takes these hurt feelings home, where Mom listens and offers some ideas. At school the next day, the narrator confronts the bully by spinning her “weirdo” obsession 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.