Mario asks, "Mother, why do we cry?" His mother thinks for a moment, and then begins to tell him about the many reasons for our tears… What an absolutely beautiful picture book! Part of me wanted to race through it to hear Mario’s mother’s gentle and reassuring words but another wanted to take my time and explore the gorgeous illustrations – every time I look at the pictures, I see something new. Mario’s mum explains in simple language that we can cry when we are happy as well as when we are sad and that crying is for absolutely everyone. There is no shame and no guilt attached to crying and it is spoken of as something completely natural; something to be embraced even. At the end of the book is a section explaining the science of tears which is fascinating – including what tears look like under a microscope and how much a single tear weighs. A beautiful, reassuring picture books for children (and adults) everywhere!