Cry, Heart, But Never Break by Glenn Ringtved gives a very unique and heartfelt narrative about grief and death. The death of a loved one is not easy for anyone, and can be difficult for children to understand. Ringtved delivered the message clearly and done in a way that young children can understand and not be overwhelmed. Readers are encouraged to cry and feel sad as they will begin a new life. Death is depicted as a kind, and understanding yet necessary aspect of life, not a monster like in most stories. “Who would enjoy the sun if it never rained?”.

Winner of the 2016 Mildred L. Batchelder Award. A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of 2017.

The author lives in Hjørring in the north of Denmark.

Denmark. Originally published in Danish as Graed blot hjerte by in 2001. English translation by Robert Moulthrop published in the United States by Enchanted Lion in 2016.

A poetic picture book about being able to say goodbye to those we love, while holding them in memory.

We continue to be told that there just aren't enough books available for children on loss and grief. This book offers a story that is about not only the death of a beloved old person, but also the duality of life itself, composed as it is of light and dark. Indeed, the story is just as much about the coexistence of these two things as about loss. Accessible, gently frank and philosophic, this book should have strong appeal in the school and library market as well as among all professionals who work with children, along with their caregivers.

A strong, lovely text makes this book a standout.

A large need exists for books like this.

Very well conceived in regard to the audience -- the children -- it is meant to reach.