"Some people cry because
shouting for hours doesn't
help.
Others, because they try to
keep everything under lock
and key, but their tears find
a way to escape."
Mario and his mother are spending a quiet morning on a park bench together when he asks a quiet question: "Mom, why do we cry?" Giving his question a quick moment of thought, his mother answers with clear and honest responses.
There are many, many reasons for people to cry, she says. With each turn of the page, she offers up another explanation for this universal reaction. Each response offers a word within her answer that is bolded to emphasize an emotion.
"Often, we cry when we run into a wall.
When that happens, we don't cry because we're hurt,
but because the wall seems impossible to climb."
Illustrations help to convey the meaning in double page spreads that show a young girl with long braids (perhaps the mother herself) dealing with the emotion described. Colors shift with the mood, and add further context. The importance of giving in to tears because it is such an honest response is the underlying learning here. Offered in a quiet, moody, personal, and reassuring tone, the book invites talk concerning the feelings and emotions every one of us feels at some time or other in our lives.
"But more than anything, sweetheart,
we cry because we feel like crying.
That's the most important reason."
Back matter provides a description of tears, and ideas for further activities.
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