Tears

PreS-K–In graphite illustrations on textured paper that appear to be digitally enhanced, the creators lay out the heartbreakingly human need for tears, in small and large doses, as a means of clearing the psyche, cleaning the clock, lightening the load, and necessarily giving in to grief. It starts simply: “Sometimes, when our hearts hurt, our eyes fill up and we cry. Everyone cries. Little kids. Big kids.” And adults. And trees. The depth of compassion found in this book, and the narrative, which lightly treads between physical facts and philosophical notions, make it accessible to educators and children alike. Early use of a grayish-green gives way to brighter colors; the spreads of interior shots of people weeping lead to a scene of a hot-air balloon soaring beyond the clouds, and two children racing down a garden path.