A funny little story for a world full of instant answers.
TheWonderfulWhat If
A picture book for future-ready kids.
One little girl. One big idea. One very opinionated squirrel.
When Josie decides to build her own squirrel feeder instead of accepting a ready-made one, things don't go quite as planned.
The results? Wonderfully ridiculous.
What she discovers along the way issomething much bigger.
Help Bring The Wonderful What Ifto Life!
The story is written. Now I'm getting ready to bring Josie, her wonderfully quirky world, and one very opinionated squirrel to life with a professional human illustrator.
Join me for the Kickstarter launch, sneak peeks, and updates.
The bigger question
A Funny Story With Something Bigger Underneath.
I believe the best children's books work on two levels.
For kids, The Wonderful What If is a funny adventure about a girl with a big idea, some questionable building skills, and a squirrel who is impossible to please.
But underneath the laughter is a question that feels especially important today:
When the finished product is just a click away, what do children miss when they skip the doing?
As AI makes it easier than ever to get answers and finished products, I want children to discover the joy of doing something for themselves — and everything they develop along the way.
For younger readers, the story plants the seeds of curiosity, independence, and creative confidence. For older readers, it opens the door to conversations about AI and what we choose to do ourselves.
Because sometimes the most valuable part isn't what we make.
It's who we become while making it.
It's a fun story, but it also makes you think. And it doesn't feel like it's trying to teach you something.
Something else in the making
The Story Doesn't Have to End on the Last Page.
Sometimes the best stories leave us with more questions than answers.
Alongside The Wonderful What If, I'm developing a companion guide for parents and educators with playful conversation starters, creative challenges, and simple ways to keep the wondering going.
it's about nurturing curiosity, imagination, and the confidence to try something of their own.
it opens the door to bigger conversations about AI, independent thinking, and what we gain when we stay involved in the process.
No worksheets. No right answers. Just more wonderful what ifs.
The making of the book
Every wonderful story starts somewhere.This one is waiting for its pictures.
illustration to come
Waiting to be drawn by a professional human illustrator.
The Story Is Written. The Pictures Are Still Waiting to Be Imagined.
The manuscript of The Wonderful What If is finished — the whole of Buttonwick, Josie's invention, and one squirrel with a great many opinions.
What it doesn't have yet is its pictures. That's where Kickstarter comes in: the campaign will fund original illustrations commissioned from a professional human illustrator, an artist who will read Josie's story, meet Buttonwick, and draw it into being, page by page. Every spread will be made by hand, for this book and no other.
Waiting for their portraits
- JosieA maker in a town of ready-made things.
- GrandpaSteady hands, patient eyes, good at letting her try.
- LeoThe friend who shows up with tape and ideas.
- The squirrelExtremely difficult. Zero appreciation for hard work.
Their portraits are still to be drawn — the whole cast is waiting for the illustrator.
Where the book is now
- The manuscriptCompleteEvery word, every squirrel, every questionable invention.
- The illustrationsWaitingTo be drawn by a professional human illustrator.
- The KickstarterIn preparationRaising the support to commission the original artwork.
A little hello
A Little Hello From the Author
Hi! I'm Julia Ewart — an educator, former school librarian, mom, and lifelong believer in the power of a good story.
I've spent my career thinking about how children learn, grow, and make sense of the world.
I wrote The Wonderful What If because I believe that as the world gets better at giving children answers, we need to keep making room for them to wonder, experiment, and discover things for themselves.
But mostly, I wanted to write a book that makes kids laugh.
I can't wait to introduce you to Josie, Buttonwick, and a squirrel who has absolutely no appreciation for all her hard work.
— Julia
Every Wonderful What If Starts Somewhere.
This one starts with a story. And a little help bringing it to life.
The manuscript is finished, but Josie and her very opinionated squirrel are still waiting to leap off the page. I'm preparing a Kickstarter campaign to partner with a professional human illustrator and bring their world to life.
I'd love for you to be part of the adventure.
Join the email list for Kickstarter launch news, sneak peeks, and occasional updates.