About the Holiday

February 3^rd-9^th marks the United Kingdom’s 11^th National Children’s Mental Health week, sponsored by the children’s mental health charity Place2Be. While the US has its own Children’s Mental Health Awareness week in May, it’s always good to share resources and support around mental health for children. This February’s theme is Know Yourself Grow Yourself, with an emphasis on building resilience and coping skills through self-understanding. To honor Children’s Mental Health week, adults and kids alike can engage in mood journaling, verbal processing of emotions, and reading books that explore just what to do to get through hard times.

Review by Dorothy Levine

Just What to Do

By Kyle Lukoff | Illustrated by Hala Tahboub

When a loved one is experiencing a loss, it can be hard to know how best to help. Just What to Do is a gentle story that walks readers through exactly that—just what to do. The key? Figuring out how each person best likes to be comforted.

The book begins with a narrator confidently clutching a handmade condolence card with a smiling cactus angel featured on the front. “When my brother’s cactus died,” they say, “I knew just what to do.” As the narrator discovers, however, a card is not how the brother would like to receive support. “Could you tell me a joke instead? I really want to laugh.” he says.

Image copyright Hala Tahboub, 2024, text copyright Kyle Lukoff, 2024. Courtesy of Dial Books.

So, naturally, when the protagonist’s cousin’s goldfish dies, they know exactly what to do; at the library they nab a book of jokes in preparation for a visit. But instead, the cousin asks for a hug.

The pattern continues with the narrator learning a new method of supporting a loved one with each instance of grief. And learning that the same technique does not feel good to the next person in need of their comfort.

Image copyright Hala Tahboub, 2024, text copyright Kyle Lukoff, 2024. Courtesy of Dial Books.

When the narrator’s best friend’s grandmother dies, they are unsure what to do. Would she want a card, a snack, a hug? How could they know? Finally, they decide the best way to find out is simply to ask: “Can you tell me what to do? I don’t know how to help.” While the friend is at first unsure how to answer this question, the narrator and friend find ways to seek out comfort and connection by spending time together. The story ends with a wordless spread of them swinging, talking, picking flowers and a spread with the word “together” in which they share a flower crown.

Image copyright Hala Tahboub, 2024, text copyright Kyle Lukoff, 2024. Courtesy of Dial Books.

Just What to Do tackles a tough but topical topic for children, what to do with grief and how to support others through it, something that even adults struggle with. Oftentimes, people make the mistake of thinking there is a cookie cutter “one size fits all” fix for working through grief, but, as Lukoff poignantly shows, this simply is not the case. Readers will learn and grow with the protagonist as they explore new ways of helping and providing care for a diverse cast of family and friends.

Hala Tahboub creates simple sketches featuring an androgynous-appearing elementary-school-aged narrator. Wordless spreads of characters connecting are interspersed in the story and are contrasted with more bare pages focused solely on the narrator when they reach emotionally salient moments. There is a clarity in the images and an intricacy in the facial expressions that allows the audience to focus on the main character’s internal struggles. The words of the story are expanded on in the images, with different characters expressing their grief in unique ways (a babysitter commemorating her dog with dog toys, the cousin holding her goldfish’s tank under a large shady tree with a bouquet of flowers, etc.)

Just What to Do is an essential addition to library and home collections, as well as counseling centers. The book lovingly guides readers through a difficult subject with an appropriate amount of levity and learning to make for a perfect read aloud.

Ages 3 – 7

Dial Books for Young Readers, 2024 | ISBN 978-0593462942

About the Author

Kyle Lukoff is the author of many books for young readers. His debut middle-grade novel, Too Bright To See, received a Newbery honor, the Stonewall award, and was a National Book Award finalist. His picture book When Aidan Became A Brother also won the Stonewall. He has forthcoming books about mermaids, babies, apologies, and lots of other topics. While becoming a writer he worked as a bookseller for ten years, and then nine more years as a school librarian. Visit him at kylelukoff.com.

About the Illustrator

Hala Tahboub is a children’s book writer and illustrator. She started her creative journey as an architect and interior designer. She won the SCBWI Canada East chapter’s Storyteller Award for Illustration in 2019, and she was the SCBWI’s December Featured Illustrator in 2020. Hala believes in kindness, coffee, chocolate, and in the immense power of stories. She lives in Montreal. Visit her at halatahboub.com.

National Children’s Mental Health Week Activities

Place2be Activity with Ricky Martin

Art Room Activity

Watch the Art Room’s video on this self-awareness art activity and create your own identity plant.

Exploring Emotions Tip Sheet for Families

Download this Exploring Emotions Tip Sheet for families on how to encourage children to explore and express their emotions.

You can purchase Just What to Do at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review