Lovely book for young readers which would make an excellent addition to any classroom or home bookshelf.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.

What a beautiful book!

This story has a couple of really important messages for young readers. Firstly that everything you see on TV/ social media is not real and shouldn’t be taken at face value. And the second important message is about mental health and how it is healthy to cry and let out your emotions rather than bottle them up.

The story itself is wonderfully written with rhyming throughout which are complimented by stunning illustrations.

I’ll definitely be getting this book when it is published for my tiny human.

The sweetest story with an important message - everybody is allowed to cry!

Milo is a rhin o and loves to do all things rhino-y. He sticks to the no-crying rule he learnt from his favourite TV superhero - until one day his pet cat goes missing and he struggles to stick to it!

A greta blance of humour and an important message, with bright and fun illustrations - I loved it!

It's okay to cry...

A sweet little lesson that everyone is allowed to cry, show their feelings and HAVE feelings.

Milo is a young rhino who emulates his hero on the screen and tries really hard not to cry when life doesn't go quite right (when his ice cream falls off the cone, when the cat knocks over his painting, when his skateboard breaks).

But when his pet cat disappears, it all becomes a bit too much and Milo just can't hold back. Will he find his cat and possibly learn that crying really isn't such a terrible thing...?

Very relatable and amusing rhyming story, with Milo both becoming a bit of a hero himself and a great ending for a single parent (no spoilers!).

For ages 2-6.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

In a Nutshell: Such a cute story, shattering the stereotype about how brave people don’t cry. A perfect package – Loved it!

Milo the rhino loves to do all sorts of rhino-y things. He spends his day busy with activities such as singing and painting and mountain-bike riding, and happily indulges in all. But there’s one thing Milo can’t do – he can’t cry. Why? Because rhinos don’t cry! Milo learnt this rule from his favourite hero during a movie scene. No matter what hardship he faces, Milo sticks to this rule. But one day, his beloved pet cat Pickles goes missing. His rule now becomes quite tough to adhere to.

You might think you can guess what happens next, and what you guessed is quite possibly right. But there’s a surprise twist as well, one that made me laugh out loud!

Crying is quite a healthy habit, and many emotional issues that kids (especially boys) have is because they have always been told to suppress their emotions. This book shatters that myth, and shows how it is perfectly okay to cry and express your honest emotions.

I just loved this story, written in simple text but speaking such volumes. I initially assumed that the theme would be about how boys don’t cry, but the book expands this concept and depicts how what screen icons say influences their young fans to follow their words blindly. Thus the content hits at a dual level, with both lessons being equally important.

The message might be a serious one but the book has a few funny moments as well. I am sure kids will laugh aloud at some of the antics in the second half.

A picture book is made great with a great moral, but is even greater when its illustrations hit the spot. And oh my, what lovely illustrations this book has! Right from little Milo and his adventurous activities, to his teary eyes when he is trying hard not to cry, to his pet cat and his toy teddy bear – everything is a treat for our senses. The colours are nice and bright, and the sketches have plenty of background detailing that enhance the story. Can’t forget to mention Momma Rhino with her perfectly dabbed lipstick! 😂

Definitely recommended in homes as well as in schools. It’s the perfect way of conveying a valuable message in a memorable and fun way. The writing level suits ages 3-6.

5 stars.

My thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) and NetGalley for the DRC of “Rhinos Don't Cry”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

In 'Rhinos don't cry' Milo finds out that crying can be the bravest choice to make when things are tough. At first I wasn't sure I liked the style of illustrations in the book - but they are loud and fun, and that is just what this book needs! Mark Grist has written a poem so many children will benefit from hearing, and it's in a package that is bright, colourful, and relatable. It really made me smile!

A bright and fun picture book with a sweet message about mental health and how crying isn't a bad thing - it's one of the bravest things we can do! Mark is a local author to our store and I'm hoping to organise an event around the release.

We really enjoyed this book, it was beautifully illustrated and had a wonderful message which my five year old was able to understand and take on board.
Definitely one to use in the classroom.

Milo, the rhino, is a kid, who likes to do all sorts of activities – usually accompanied by his cat, Pickles. But, one of his favourite things to do, is watching his hero, Spike-O Mcree (also a rhino) on TV. One night – in a sort of throw-away remark – Spike-O states that:
“I am a HERO, and I’ll tell you why. Bad things might happen, but rhinos don’t cry”
Milo, being an impressionable youngster, takes this to heart. He decides that whatever may happen, he will also be a hero, and never cry. But, when his constant companion, Pickles goes missing, Milo is sorely pressed to keep his eyes dry. While out putting up posters to say Pickles was missing, he bumps into Spike-O Mcree. When Spike-O asks what he is doing, Milo can no longer keep his feelings inside, and bursts out crying. Much to his surprise, Spike-O joins in. When Milo, points out that Spike-O had said – only last night! – that rhinos don’t cry, Spike-O says it was an old film, and nowadays it is known that crying is actually good for little rhinos, as well as for adults. Together they find Pickles and bring her home.
Milo learns that:
“it’s good to be brave, and it’s OK to cry”
This is a lovely tale, with bright, cheery illustrations and rhyming couplets. I particularly loved the pictures of Pickles playing with Milo.
This story could start discussions on when it is acceptable (or indeed necessary) to cry (i.e. NOT when you don’t get your way, or you are trying to manipulate someone to do your bidding), and how attitudes can change over time, as we become more aware of harm that some mind-sets can cause. In particular, what we see on TV might not always be modelling ideal behaviour, especially when the program is dated. But that might be more for older children. For the youngest, this is a good-feeling story with a happy ending and lovely pictures. Recommended.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by either the author or publisher.

Rhinos Don’t Cry was a beautifully illustrated and thoroughly enjoyable book. I read it aloud to my children from the off and we all loved it. It has the right balance of humour and heart with a great message at the end. The rhyme is well done and is very easy to read.

My 5 year old daughter is addicted to reading at the moment and she absolutely loved this story about Milo! She has been pushing herself and it is books like this one that are encouraging her more and as a parent it is the kind of book that helps raise the topics of feelings and emotions too

We read the book together last night and she loved every page, I say we read it together but she read the book to me in the main and I helped out a little here and there with a few words that were a bit tricky for her.

The story was well written and had a lovely flow to the story, the writing style worked really well, it was at the perfect pace and she loved that she could read it to me.

The illustrations are spot on and perfect for the book and they really help bring the story to life – I know this was a massive hit with her as she has already asked if we can read the book again at bedtime tonight!

It is 5 stars from me for this one, very highly recommended and it is a lovely book!

Tackling the misconception that it is weak to cry, Rhinos Don't Cry is a fantastic new picture book that speaks to both adults and children alike. With gorgeous illustrations and an original plot, it's a great book for both parents and teachers to use in discussions about emotions.

Milo loves doing lots of things except crying. His movie-star hero, Spike O'Mcreeee says "rhinos don't cry" and Milo is determined to follow in his footsteps. But when his beloved cat, Pickles, goes missing, Milo certainly feels like he wants to cry. Can he be brave and hold back the tears?

This is a lovely story with a great message that shows it's actually okay for anyone to cry, whether they are young or old. Nick Grist links crying to different emotions and shows readers that we can shed tears when we are happy or scared or sad. Spike O'Mcreee is strong, bold character who allows us to explore what a hero really is and we really liked the characterisation of a movie-star as a role model, rather than a parent. There's a lovely resolution to the story and a surprising gentleness considering the story is about rhinos - busting another myth that they have to be 'big and tough'. This is a book we'd love to see in classrooms, libraries and homes everywhere.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for allowing us a review cop

Me and my little boy (3 years old) loved snuggling up at bedtime and reading this lovely book on the iPad (ARC) the illustration was absolutely beautiful, with lots of bright colours to keep him interested! The underlying story was very heartwarming and sweet and we can’t wait to add this one to our bookshelf when published!