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THE BOY WHO LOST HIS LAUGH

Name: THE BOY WHO LOST HIS LAUGH
Author: Dimity Powell
ISBN: 9781921497087

by Dimity Powell ; illustrated by Heidi Cooper Smith ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 10, 2026

A gentle tale that only grazes the surface of a foster child’s journey.

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Shuttled from foster home to foster home, Tim no longer knows how to laugh.

Though he enjoys living with the Lees, nothing seems to make Tim truly happy. He won’t even unpack his box of prized dinosaur toys because he’s always anticipating the next move. More than anything, he longs for a permanent family. When he overhears his social worker talking to Mrs. Lee, he fears he’ll soon be saying goodbye again. Tim joins Mr. Lee and his foster brothers as they jump on the trampoline; Mrs. Lee steps outside with spectacular news: The Lees will be adopting Tim. In his excitement, Mr. Lee jumps a little too high, crashes into the treehouse, and lands with his pants around his ankles. The family hears something new: It’s Tim’s laughter, elicited by the humorous sight of Mr. Lee—and the joyful announcement. Happy endings for foster children are always welcome, though this simplified story glosses over the often long, complex legal adoption process; adoption doesn’t typically come as a surprise to the child. Some details are also confusing, such as the Lees initially mistaking Tim’s laugh for the call of a Parasaurolophus (despite the dinosaur motif throughout, specific species aren’t mentioned until now). Smith’s soft, watercolorlike illustrations portray Tim’s life with the Lees, emphasizing his expressive face. Blond-haired Tim presents white; the Lees are East Asian. Snapshots of previous foster placements depict diverse families.

A gentle tale that only grazes the surface of a foster child’s journey. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: March 10, 2026

ISBN: 9781921497087

Page Count: 32

Publisher: EK Books

Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
AT THE END OF HOLYROOD LANE
by Dimity Powell ; illustrated by Nicky Johnston

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THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THING

by Ashley Spires ; illustrated by Ashley Spires ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2014

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...

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Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.

First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: April 1, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Kids Can

Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
BYE BYE, BUTTERFLY
developed by Ashley Spires ; adapted by Naseem Hrab ; illustrated by Mike Shiell

- BOOK REVIEW
NO MOUSIE LEFT BEHIND
developed by Ashley Spires ; adapted by Naseem Hrab ; illustrated by Mike Shiell

- BOOK REVIEW
THE MOST MAGNIFICENT MAKER'S A TO Z
by Ashley Spires ; illustrated by Ashley Spires

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)