Why Do You Cry? Not a Sob Story by Kate Klise

Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise. 32 p., Holt, 2006. Sometimes kids think that growing up means not crying. Little Rabbit decides that when he turns 5, he isn't going to cry any more, because "crying is for babies." In fact, he's only going to invite friends who don't cry to his birthday party. But each friend he invites tells him that they can't come to his party because they cry - when they're rejected, or scared, or physically hurt, or embarrassed. When he tells his mother that she'll be the only party guest, she gently explains that she cries too, sometimes; for example, at sad movies, or when she's in physical pain, or when she feels happy and proud that Little Rabbit is growing up. She explains, "'You can cry for any reason. Or for no reason at all.," and she tells him that it's OK with her if he cries sometimes, even when he's big. So she and all of Little Rabbit's friends come to his birthday party. And Little Rabbit still feels grown-up. With its sweet illustrations, this story encourages children to accept their and others' crying, and to know that they can grow up without giving up a sense of connection to their emotions. Ages 3-6

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