An uplifting picture book story about love, laughter, and loss.
In ‘The Laugh’ we follow the story of a young girl whose mother has the loveliest laugh in the world. They laugh together at the cinema, at home, in the garden, and basically anywhere that they are together.
That is until the mother dies, and with her, so does the laughter.
I have to admit that I got a frog in my throat reading that part of the story out loud to my little boy; I knew it was coming but somehow it still took me aback. The book goes on to teach us that while it is ok to grieve and to feel sad, life does go on, and one day you will find your laugh again.
The laughter that you have shared hasn’t gone forever, instead it lives on in happy memories of your time together, and in the laughter that you will go on to share with others.
By the end of the story, the book gently nudges you into having that tough conversation with your child by explaining the meaning behind the events that took place. Depending on the age of the child, it may take a few readings for the meaning to sink in, but you won’t mind as it means that you get to look at the beautiful illustrations again and again.
If you are finding it difficult to open up conversations about grief and loss with a little one, then ‘The Laugh’ is a gentle yet powerful story that will help you do just that.
For more children’s books on this subject, take a look at the following article:
6 Great Books to Help Teach Your Child About Grief and Loss
