Boys Do Cry - Teachers’ Resources - Plot Summary, Curriculum and Classroom Activities

Oct 28, 2026

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Teachers’ resources for the picture book Boys Do Cry by Gus Worland and Heath McKenzie, providing a plot summary of a young boy’s challenging day and the relief he finds after being understood and comforted at home. Includes guidance for teaching emotional adaptability and help-seeking, explains “mental fitness” and its protective factors, lists recommended ages and key curriculum areas, and provides study elements such as pre-reading questions, writing and visual literacy topics, key quotes, a Primary School Program, a worksheet, and further reading. Includes publication details and an order form.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

PLOT SUMMARY

RECOMMENDED FOR

CONTENTS

About the author/illustrator

Author’s inspiration

What is ‘mental fitness’?

Building mental fitness with Boys Do Cry

Pre-reading questions

Writing style

Visual literacy

Key study topics

Key quotes

Gotcha4Life’s Primary School Program

Worksheet

Further reading

Order form

KEY CURRICULUM AREAS

REASONS FOR STUDYING THIS BOOK

THEMES

PUBLICATION DETAILS

TEACHERS’ RESOURCES Boys Do Cry Gus Worland and Heath McKenzie PLOT SUMMARY Boys Do Cry is an absurd and exaggerated story about a young boy’s bad day. Throughout the course of the day, he is met with a new annoyance or difficulty, but all the while he tries to keep his big feelings in. Only when he ﬁnally gets home and receives an understanding hug from his dad does he decide to let it all out. He then realises how much better he feels when he opens up and lets himself have a good cry! This is a warm and funny picture book from TV and radio personality GUS WORLAND about battling big feelings and being okay about not feeling okay. RECOMMENDED FOR Ages 5+ (Kindergarten to Year 3) CONTENTS 1. Plot summary 1 2. About the author/illustrator 2 3. Author’s inspiration 2 4. What is ‘mental fitness’? 2 5. Building mental fitness with Boys Do Cry 2 5. Pre-reading questions 3 6. Writing style 3 7. Visual literacy 3 7. Key study topics 3-5 8. Key quotes 5 9. Gotcha4Life’s Primary School Program 5 10.Worksheet 6 11. Further reading 7 12. Order form 8 KEY CURRICULUM AREAS • Learning areas: English; Health and Physical Education; • ArtsGeneral capabilities: Social-emotional learning (SEL); Mental health and wellbeing; Literacy; Critical and creative thinking; Ethical understanding; Personal and social capabilities REASONS FOR STUDYING THIS BOOK • Depicts various scenarios where the main character may cry for different reasons, allowing children to see a range of emotions that they (as well as others) experience. This helps build empathy, as children begin to understand and relate to the feelings of others. • Helps children understand that crying is a natural and healthy way to express feelings, which is essential for emotional development. By seeing the main character cry and be comforted, children learn that their emotions are valid and that it's okay to seek support when they are feeling overwhelmed. THEMES • Emotional adaptability • Social connectedness • Help-seeking • Understanding emotions • Empathy and understanding • Cultural and social norms PUBLICATION DETAILS ISBN: 9781761346583 (hardback) These notes may be reproduced free of charge for use and study within schools, but they may not be reproduced (either in whole or in part) and offered for commercial sale. [Visit](Visit penguin.com.au/schools to)[ penguin.com.au/schools](Visit penguin.com.au/schools to)[ to](Visit penguin.com.au/schools to) ﬁnd out how our fantastic Penguin Random House Australia books can be used in the classroom and sign up to the monthly schools newsletter for all the latest educational resources. 1 Copyright © Penguin Random House Australia 2024 Boys Do Cry by Gus Worland ABOUT GUS WORLAND Gus Worland is an Australian TV and radio personality, mental fitness advocate, Australian of the Year Nominee and Founder of Gotcha4Life Foundation. Gus is a storyteller who knows how to get people thinking and talking about the things we often find hard to talk about. As a proud dad of three grown-up kids, Gus keeps it real, and he has a magical way of turning tricky topics into honest, heartfelt conversations that everyone can understand and relate to. ABOUT HEATH MCKENZIE Heath McKenzie is a celebrated illustrator, known for his vibrant, humorous and whimsical artwork. His distinctive style, characterised by bold lines and vivid colours, has brought numerous children’s picture books to life. Heath's captivating illustrations and engaging storytelling have led him to work with renowned authors and publishers. Heath’s artworks often explore themes of adventure and self-discovery, resonating deeply with young readers. As well as publishing, Heath has also worked in animation, advertising and product design, showcasing his versatility across various media. AUTHOR’S INSPIRATION Gus Worland is a passionate advocate for mental fitness. To that end, he helped found the Gotch

FAQs

What is the plot of Boys Do Cry?

A young boy faces a series of annoyances throughout the day while trying to manage his big feelings. After he finally gets home and receives a comforting hug from his dad, he lets it all out and feels much better.

What does “mental fitness” mean in these resources?

Mental fitness refers to the capacity to cope with life’s ups and downs, a sense of connection and belonging, and the ability to seek help when needed. It is built around evidence-based protective factors: emotional adaptability, social connectedness, and help-seeking.

Why should children study this book?

The book shows different reasons a child might cry and helps children recognize and empathize with a range of emotions. It also frames crying as natural and healthy, encouraging emotional validity and support-seeking when overwhelmed.

Oct 28, 2026

Upload by Riley