Why Do You Cry?: Not a Sob Story
PreSchool-Grade 1–This reassuring tale features the characters fromShall I Knit You a Hat?(Holt, 2004). Almost five, Little Rabbit decides that he is all done with crying. He wants to have a grown-up birthday party, with guests who have also outgrown crying. As he extends his invitations, he is surprised to learn that his friends still shed tears, and for a variety of reasons. The squirrel admits to crying when feeling left out of a game and the cat cries when frightened. The horse's silly explanation helps keep the tone light: I cry…when I try a new hairstyle and don't like the way I look. Little Rabbit returns home disappointed, only to discover that Mother Rabbit still cries too, sometimes even when she is happy. The warm acrylic illustrations have a retro quality and are full of humor and detail: Little Rabbit finds the cat at the fish market (naturally); the horse's new coiffure is a bit ridiculous; and the animals play pin the tail on the rabbit at the party. A great choice for reading aloud or one-on-one sharing, this tale will prompt comments from children, who will relate to the characters and enjoy the rich artwork.–Robin L. Gibson, Granville Parent Cooperative Preschool, OHCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.