The Laugh

Reassuring and tenderly-told, The Laugh is the perfect story for younger kids learning to navigate grief.

"In a simple metaphor for finding happiness again after the death of a loved one, this book sends a sensitive, focused message-that laughter and joy are possible."
-Kirkus Reviews

"Simply yet powerfully told, The Laugh is a beautiful, gentle story with tender and expressive illustrations, and a comforting message about the ways we hold loved ones close even when they're no longer with us. It's a book that will surely mean a lot to many children, families and adults alike."
-Harry Woodgate, author of Grandad's Camper


An uplifting picture book story about love, laughter, and loss.

Once there was a lady with the loveliest laugh in the world. She and her daughter share big loud belly laughs, quiet giggles, and sometimes secret laughs between just the two of them. Until one day, the lady dies, and her laugh goes away with her. At first it seems impossible to go on without the lady - but when the little girl finds her laugh again, she knows that, no matter what, the memories and love that they shared will always be there. This reassuring and beautifully illustrated picture book is the perfect way to open up conversations about grief and loss with little ones.

About the Author

Fay Evans has been selling, writing and making children's books for eleven years. She has worked across fiction, non-fiction and picture books and currently works as Program Manager of Children's Books at Little Gestalten. Originally from South Wales, she accidentally married an Englishman and now lives in South London.

About the Illustrator

Ayse Klinge was born and raised in Berlin, Germany. She studied stage and costume design before moving to Hamburg, where she studies illustration at the University of Applied Sciences and works as a freelance illustrator. Her love for the theatre and the opera persists where she spends most of her free time reading books and discovering obscure films in her hometown in Berlin.