Big Boys *DO* Cry

Big Boys Cry
Written & Illustrated by Jonty Howley
Age Level: 2-5 Years
Published June 11, 2019

Cry it out.

It’s Levi’s first day at a new school, and Levi is scared. Unable to come up with the right words for a proper pep talk, his father sends him off with a lovingly packed lunch, a tenderly zipped sweater, and a few misguided words of advice: “Big boys don’t cry.”

On his walk to school, Levi sees that it simply isn’t true. Author-illustrator Jonty Howley utilizes his artistic talent in a series of fluid and colorful full-bleed spreads showing men young and old, rich and poor, brawny and brainy, all shedding tears for a multitude of reasons such as love, pride, separation, and loss. It’s a wonderful display of male emotion, shown without a hint of shame, inhibition, or judgement. When Levi reaches school, he allows himself to release a tear before going inside.

“On his way, Levi saw a fisherman with tears in his eyes, setting off on a long trip.”

This is a book that teaches children that boys do, can, and should cry. And the delivery isn’t trite, saccharine, or repetitive. It’s balanced, it’s beautiful, and a celebration of all the different feelings that are part of being a boy because they are part of being human.