Why do you cry? by Kate Klise illustrated by M Sarah Klise

You can cry for any reason. Or for no reason at all.

Today I have watched a few YouTube videos (COVID-19 stay at home) and as usual many of the ones involving music, young children and acts of kindness leave me in floods of tears. I am a crier. I cry over television commercials, I cry when kids sing in school assemblies, and of course I cry in movies.  I was very intrigued by the title of this book - why do you cry?

Little Rabbit declares, aged five, that he is "done with crying."  He has lots of friends who he plans to invite to his birthday party but he decides the friends can only attend if they meet his criteria:

"I'm inviting everyone who's big like me, and doesn't cry anymore."

Little Rabbit heads off to interview his friends and he makes some surprising discoveries.

Squirrel - cries when he is excluded from a game
Cat - cries when she is alone and fearful
Horse - cries for lots of reasons - pain from a bee sting, seeing a snake or if a new haircut looks terrible

It seems no one can come to the birthday party. Even mother cannot attend because she sometimes cries too. "Sometimes I cry when I watch a sad movie ... or when I have a bad toothache and sometimes I cry when I look at you."

Little Rabbit has discovered so much about crying. He is persuaded to change his mind and so he decides everyone is allowed to attend is birthday party and it is a big success.  Only one person cries?

This is a fairly old book (2006) but I think it is still in print.  I would pair this book with Sloppy Kisses.

There are several books about Little Rabbit by Kate Klise: