CRP's Blog

From a single tear to full-on waterworks, the books below (including one of our upcoming titles!) have had the CRP staff crying. #CRPreads

Um, how about those recent Humans of New York posts, raising money for Sloan Kettering’s Cancer Center. Anyone else? My God. Not a book, no, but what an effective storytelling medium, and carried out for a very commendable cause. Take a look if you’re a glutton for punishment, but I’d label it NSFW unless you like bawling into your keyboard. —Caitlin Eck, publicity manager

I’m broken inside and seldom cry, but as a kid I definitely lost it at the end of Where the Red Fern Grows. Dead and dying animals are industrial-strength heart-shredders. —Geoff George, publicist

There were two books recently that activated my pesky lacrimal glands, and they couldn’t be more different. I definitely welled up a little while reading Richard Peck’s new book, The Best Man. The main character, Archer, just has so much heart and love for his family (who are pretty great) that I shed some happy tears. The other book was Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep, because when you think “books that make you cry” Stephen King and psychic “vampires” is totally the first thing that comes to mind. But King’s revelation of what happened and happens to Danny Torrance, who’s not so little anymore, is powerfully moving.  —Mary Kravenas, marketing manager

I’m in the middle of Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman. The book shifts between two stories: a young boy grappling with his mental illness and a fantasy adventure on the high seas. At first the two narratives are separate, but then the reality and fantasy blur together so that you don’t know what point of view you’re in. When I realized that Shusterman was putting me in the main character’s shoes I was so blown away and may have shed a tear or two.   —Emily Lewis, editorial and marketing assistant

I spent a good 75 percent of Kate DiCamillo’s newest, Raymie Nightingale, remembering that I am not a huge DiCamillo fan. But damn, the last quarter of the book really got me and tears were shed—on the train, no less. Lessons learned at the beginning of the novel come back to save the day, and the growth of each of the three main characters is impressively portrayed. You got me this time, DiCamillo.  —Meaghan Miller, senior publicist and social media coordinator

The last book that made me cry was Fire Angels: A Novel by Elizabeth Kern about the Our Lady of Angels school fire that took place in Chicago on December 1, 1958 and claimed the lives of 92 children and three nuns. It’s such a heartbreaking true story that lends itself beautifully to fiction because of all the complex characters and drama. It was hard to turn the pages and hard to put it down. It’s not coming out until November this year, but it’s definitely one to look for if you want a good cry. —Cynthia Sherry, publisher