Review by Gabrielle Tselos
Tundra Book Group, August 9th, 2022
48 pages, hardcover, $24.99 CAD, 9780735270503
Ages 3-7 years
Picture Book, Fiction
“There’s really no downside to crying; it’s a universal language. It works better than words. If you ever happen to cry when you’re far away from home, don’t worry; you’ll be understood.”
If You Cry Like A Fountain is a children’s picture book about the benefits of letting oneself cry. It follows a sad pink worm as he learns that it’s alright for him to express his emotions, and that there are great benefits of doing so. This book reveals crying can actually be a really important way to express how we’re feeling and could help introduce this idea to young readers who tend to bottle up their emotions. Vola takes on this stigmatized topic by demonstrating the different humorous ways crying can help!
The illustrations by Vola are bright and engaging. The cover is very charming and piqued my interest in the pink worm and his fountain of tears. There is a simple, hand-drawn look to the pages that draws readers deeper into the story. One of my favorite sets of illustrations is located on the first few pages where our main character—a pink worm—tries holding back his emotions, but ultimately must let it all out. He quickly starts crying and becomes consumed by an ocean of tears. After this outburst, the narrator begins listing humorous ideas of all the things he can do with his tears, such as washing a dog, putting out a fire, or even making jam (the illustrated jar reads “100% fruit and tears”). These quirky elements add a fun touch to the overall story.
If You Cry Like A Fountain does an amazing job of demonstrating the laughable ways crying can help us. Although not necessarily realistic, the book does explain to children that there can be benefits to crying. Young readers may not understand the scientific benefits of crying (such as releasing endorphins), so this book and its teary pink worm provide a great alternative explanation. It also demonstrates many of the worm’s friends being supportive of him when he’s feeling down. This lesson works to help show kids the importance of caring for your friends when they’re sad. This extra touch of support offered by the pink worm’s friends provides a full circle lesson in this book—that everyone feels blue sometimes, and one of the best things we can do for each other is offer comfort through hard times.
With appealing artwork and an important message, If You Cry Like A Fountain is an amazing addition to any child’s library. We must all learn to let ourselves cry; for rainbows only appear after the rain.
Gabrielle Tselos is a 3rd year psychology student at UBC, who hopes to minor in creative writing. She enjoys writing, baking, and taking photos in her free time.
YOUNG ADULTING 