- Fables
- Kobi Yamada collection
- Ages 4–10
What Do You Do With
Part of the collectionKobi Yamada→Best for children navigating something new (a worry, a chance, an idea) and the adults who want to give them a small graceful book about it.
- Books3 / 3
- Arcs1
- Span2014–2018
- StatusComplete
The series
At a glance.
Three picture books illustrated by Mae Besom, What Do You Do With an Idea?, What Do You Do With a Problem?, What Do You Do With a Chance?, in which a small child encounters an abstract entity (an idea, etc.) drawn as a soft, glowing thing and learns to live with it. The art is delicate pencil-and-watercolour with a limited palette; the writing is gentle, second-person, almost mantra-like. The trilogy has become a heavy gift-book staple, graduation, milestone birthdays, classroom celebrations.
Best for children navigating something new (a worry, a chance, an idea) and the adults who want to give them a small graceful book about it.
Primary themes
Overall tone
- Warm
- Inspirational
- Thought provoking
- Gentle
Read in any order; each book is self-contained.
One arc
The shape of the series.
- IStandalone collection arcLow sensitivity
Idea, problem, chance
Three reflective standalones on big abstract concepts — idea (2014), problem (2016), chance (2018).
Each book uses the same structural device: an abstract thing arrives in the child's life, is held tentatively, grows, and is eventually carried with confidence. Independently effective; collectively a small philosophy.
Fit check
Right for your reader?
Where the series lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- 15
- 17
- 19
- Best fit · 4–10
- Read aloud · 4–9
- Independent · 6–10
Reluctant-reader friendliness
Workable
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Adult crossover
High
Grows with the reader
Designed to
Sensitivity envelope
Low overall, and consistent.
About the author