An onion that doesn't make anyone cry? This little fellow seems determined to prove it's possible! With eyes peacefully closed, rosy cheeks, and a contented smile, our onion looks completely relaxed. In a real kitchen, however, cutting an onion can produce a very different reaction: just a few moments after the first slice, your eyes may start to sting and the tears begin to flow.

There's a scientific explanation for this curious phenomenon. When an onion is cut, its cells are damaged and substances normally kept apart come into contact. A series of chemical reactions then produces a volatile compound that escapes into the air and can reach our eyes. They respond by producing extra tears to protect themselves. So the onion isn't actually trying to make us cry: it's simply plant chemistry at work!

For this onion Coloring Page, the colored model features a warm golden-orange bulb, long leaves in several shades of green, and little pink cheeks that make the character look even more peaceful. Real onions offer plenty of color choices too: coppery yellow, creamy white, reddish purple... so you can easily imagine several different versions of this cheerful vegetable.

Back in the garden, our calm little onion might enjoy meeting an equally funny garlic bulb. These two plants actually belong to the same botanical genus, Allium. You can continue exploring the garden with our Fruit and Vegetable Coloring Pages. With a smile this peaceful, this onion clearly prefers bringing out the crayons rather than the tissues!