Description ▶ Story Summary A sad day washed away in a sea of tears Our hero bombed a test, got stuck with a terrible school lunch, and was scolded unfairly by the teacher in the afternoon. But that's not even the end of it—on the way home, it starts to rain, and there's no umbrella in sight. After walking home soaked and alone, things get worse: Mom and Dad are in the middle of a fight. Could there be a gloomier day than this? Lying in bed, the tears just won't stop falling. But when morning comes and our hero opens their eyes, everyone is caught splashing and struggling in a sea of tears they created! Our hero has a wonderful time playing in this imaginary sea, then rescues everyone and helps dry them off. Looking back, there's a little pang of guilt—but also a deep sense of relief! ▶ About This Book A picture book that comforts children through their hard days—and cries right along with them. Today Was a Bust: A Slice of Modern Childhood Everyone has days when they just want to cry. Days when nothing seems to go right, even though you didn't do anything wrong—as if fate itself has it out for you. Do children have days like this too? Of course they do, especially now, when kids are expected to build endless competitive skills within schedules carefully arranged by adults. Between test prep, unsatisfying cafeteria lunches, after-school academies, and finally heading home, it's no wonder some days feel like they were made for crying. That's exactly the kind of day our young hero has in this story: a test in the morning, a disappointing lunch, and then getting scolded in the afternoon for something that wasn't even their fault. It's so unfair and frustrating. Just when it seems like the hard day is finally over and all that's left is the walk home, storm clouds roll in out of nowhere and it starts to pour. Did anyone even mention rain today? Everyone else has an umbrella, but our hero has nothing but a cardboard box to cover their head. Soaked to the bone, they arrive home only to find Mom and Dad in a heated argument, snapping at each other like a pair of dinosaurs. There's no appetite left for dinner, but Mom scolds them anyway for not finishing their plate. That doesn't feel like a mother's love—it feels like she's just taking out her frustration. Lying down to sleep, the tears keep coming, again and again. Crying It Out in an Imaginary Sea: The Healing Power of Tears On a day when nothing goes right and it feels like no one is on your side, adults might grab a drink and vent to a friend. But for children, sometimes all they can really do is cry it all out. Tears become a way to release negative feelings about a hard day, and through that release, the stress begins to melt away. In Sea of Tears, the main character cries so hard that an entire imaginary sea forms—one that sweeps away everyone who caused the trouble that day. Our hero rows through the flooded sea, rides the rushing currents, and even cheers with excitement. But once the wave of emotion passes, they end up rescuing their parents, teacher, and friends from the water, and even take the time to dry off a classmate with a hairdryer—because by now, their heart feels light and clear again. Dr. Hideo Arita of Toho University School of Medicine has said that "crying your heart out has an effect similar to resetting the brain." When tears flow freely like this, hidden frustrations and unspoken feelings pour out along with them. After a good cry, children often forget the bad things that happened and go right back to playing as if nothing occurred. While tears may not directly solve a conflict, they give children the inner strength to work through it. By the end of the story, our hero no longer thinks "everyone hates me" or "I'm just unlucky." Instead, without any harm to their sense of self, they simply see it as one of those days—and are ready to greet a brand-new one. Sea of Tears is a picture book that comforts children through their daily struggles and affirms the value of tears. It's the kind of book that gently pats a child on the back and says, "I understand how you feel. If you want to cry, go ahead and cry as much as you need to." It helps children release their difficult emotions so they can smile again. Turning a Gloomy Day Into Something Funny: Here's to Happier Everyday Moments for Kids! To bring this message to life, the picture book captures the varied personalities and daily lives of children in vivid, playful detail...