To be unable to read this book to my children?

[AudTheDeepMinded]

Took my 3 DSs to the museum today. Eldest is going to be learning about WWI soon and there was an exhibition about local soldiers. Bought a lovely book in the shop entitled 'Where the Poppies Now Grow' to share with them. Only I can't read it, I tear up on page one, my throat closes and I can't get the words out. It just makes me feel indescribably sad. I had the same problem with 'War Horse' and 'No Matter What'. Does anyone else have this problem or am I just very wet?

I may be heartless, but i genuinely don’t see what is sad about The Snail and The Whale (vaguely uplifting story about two friends discovering the world).

for that matter -Peepo? I’ve seen some people say here that Peepo is sad because the baby’s dad dies after the book ends (he’s dressed as a soldier or home guard in WWII) but I’ve read that the book is largely autobiographical and Allan Ahlberg’s father didn’t die until he was 17 (which is itself terribly sad, but not related to the Peepo book.) unless i’m missing some subtext?

I took the kids to see a play of Tom's Midnight Garden. It was fabulous and at the end all the adults were in tears. DD was staring at me 'Mummy, why are you crying'. Heartless child.

Once There Were Giants also gets me, and Paper Dolls

These are the 2 I was going to mention! It’s the kind granny in her memories in Paper Dolls I’m tearing up now

Also a book called Grandpas Bench. Spoiler alert: grandpa dies and I cry.

I second The Night You Were Born. My husband read that book to me the night of our son’s birth. We were both sobbing by the end. I still tear up when I read that story. It reminds me of the joy and wonder we shared together.

I was only 19 by Redgum gets me every time! It is one of my favourite songs but it destroys me. It's about the Vietnam war, and I'm from a military family so I don't deal. All the royalties from the song go to the Vietnam Veterans Association too. I also cry during the Last Post every ANZAC Day.

Children of Green Knowe had me in tears as a small child and later on reading it to my own DC

I'm crying reading about some of the books in this thread actually.

Badgers parting gifts. I bought it to read to my dc after death of a close family member but I struggle to get through it. Sentiment is beautiful though

MRSMARMITE3 The brachiosaurus scene, right? Alone, burning on his pontoon, the most innocent creature of Jurassic Park... Yup, I had shiny eyes for this one.

Grandpa by John Burningham. The bit at the end where the little girl is looking at Grandpa's empty chair and slippers. I remember trying to read it to a Year 1 class and choking up.

Ages ago there was a schools' English TV programme with an episode called "Our Dog Mick" where the kids' dog dies. My Year 4 class watched it without a flicker but I and the two support staff in the classroom were all surreptitiously wiping away the tears!

Can't read Charlotte's web or The Little Prince without weeping! Have avoided Warhorse - book/film/play for the same reason.

Solidarity sobbers! Thanks for all your lovely (mostly) replies. DH did story time last night. So much of what you all say resonates with me. I can't hear the last post without crying either. And 'Puff the Magic Dragon' always gets me too.
Ah well, at least we know we are not made of stone! I'd like to read some of your suggestions but fear it may well finish me off entirely.

@parliamentofravens I find Peepo strangely moving just for the nostalgia of it (even though I’m only 31!). Also the beautiful cadence of “the cot made ready...and his ball and his teddy” at the end. I don’t know, makes me well up a bit.

As does “and then Bella did something VERY kind” in Dogger. Though my baby loves that one so I’ve become a bit more used to it.

The one I absolutely cannot go near is I’ll love you forever. Just can’t even open it.

I cry reading Moon Rabbit every time!

My husband bought me tickets to the War Horse stage production and I basically cried the whole way through. I ride and the puppet is just sooo realistic.

I cried my eyes out at the new Jurassic World, too!

Another vote for Goodbye Mog and The Selfish Giant (though what a beautiful story!)

DP and I went to the cinema to see How to Train Your Dragon 2. We were probably the only childless couple in there, several times I glanced over at him and his face and beard were soaked with tears

I was crying along with him, although I blub at everything now

With the snail and the whale, for me it's because the tiny snail saves the whale's life, after feeling so small and awed by the world, there is something huge that she can do when it matters. And if the whale hadn't been so kind and offered to take her on a journey, she wouldn't have been there to save him. It's just so.... lovely

Not a childs book, but Audrey Rose , ESPECIALLY the ending . Sobbed like a baby (I was only 11 though but so was the character)

I remember a long Mumsnet thread about this in the past

Snail and the Whale leaves me sobbing

My kids used to make me read it to them just so they could laugh at me

I wouldn't even let myself read the Mog books and can anyone read Charlotte's Web without crying?

Blimey another song on the radio this morning that has me welling up. 'The Streets of London', gulp.
Maybe I should start a new thread about books we can't read for laughing?

It's not to everyone's taste (mentions God creating) but Max Lucados , Just incase you ever wonder, always sets me off

Aud
Ha ha i was driving when that came on and i was singing along loudly to stop myself welling up and failed miserably 😢

Toy Story 3
The only time I have seen DH cry
To be fair to him, he says he cried when dd was born, but I was unconscious.

Mog and bunny is a good happy sad one. Also the mousehole cat.

CountFosco, Tom's midnight garden is probably my favourite ever story. I'd love to see a really good quality, true to the book film of it. The one that came out about 15 years ago was pretty grim.

Thankfully, I have never needed to read The Velveteen Rabbit aloud to anyone.
I managed to get through reading Charlotte's Web to a year 6 class only to find half of them in tears.