THE BOY WHO LOST HIS LAUGH

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.