One of my favourite spreads of Tim
Tim is a young primary schooler with a passion for dinosaurs and a laissez faire attitude towards his appearance. He craves affection and welcomes sibling rivalry but above all aches for a family to call his own. After being caught up in the foster care system for a number of years, Tim not only loses his laugh but his hope of settling down and unpacking his dinosaurs for good. Until one day, whilst residing with the Lees, his dream of living in a full time family makes a remarkable and humorous rebound.
The Boy Who Lost His Laugh is a sensitive introductory look at the fabric of foster care that explores themes of family, relationships, adoption, belonging, sense of self and parenting. Every foster care situation is different and unique, like the foster children who are subjected to it. The need to place children in residential, emergency or kin care arises for varying reasons not least of which being a requirement of child protection (1 in 32 children in Australia require child protection. The numbers are similar in the Americas). Approximately 8 in 1000 Australian children (9.2 in Canada and UK) are in out-of-home or foster care. The percentages are even higher for those in NZ.
More alarming is the fact that ‘Most of the children in out-of-home care (94%) were on a care and protection order and 30,600 (67%) had been continuously in out-of-home care for 2 years or more.’ And ‘almost one-third (32%) of children in out-of-home care were aged 10‒14, and a similar percentage were aged 5‒9 (30%). Just over half (52%) of all children in out-of-home care were boys.’*
Ideally, children in foster or kin care are able to return to their original family home, safely and permanently – ‘reunification vs adoption‘ as it were. This sadly is not always the case and, at times, a situation of ‘family hopping‘^ ensues for one reason or another. It was this aspect of foster care that formed the basis of Tim’s story, providing the catalyst for him losing his laugh.
Whilst Tim’s story has a happy outcome, it can’t possibly address the entire spectrum of emotions, causes and variations of foster care. However hopefully, it can strike a chord with those experiencing similar situations while shedding greater light on a systemic and far-reaching societal problem by increasing awareness and promoting safe, non-judgemental discussions about family dynamics both within the home and classroom. Perhaps then we as a society will be better able to protect our most vulnerable members, take more affirmative action and drive down statistics like this one: 60% of homeless people have been in foster care at some stage.
*Based on statistics gathered between 2018 – 2020 from sources including Banardos Organisation, Government, foster care and child welfare organisations across ANZ, US, Canada and the UK.
^As raised by Brian Smith, CEO Queensland Forster and Kinship Care
Teachers’ Notes
Book Trailer
Hope Radio 130.2
Picture Book Buzz Interview
Published: March 2025
Illustrator: Heidi Cooper-Smith
Publisher: EK Books, $24.99 (hardback) ,$16.99 (paperback US & UK only)
ISBN: 9781921497162 (hardback), 9781921497087 (paperback US & UK only)
Format: Hardcover 32 pp
Ideal for: 4 – 8 year olds, foster families, childcare workers and educators, school libraries!
Buy the Book: for personally signed copies – contact me direct Order through EK Books
Published Reviews, Testimonials and Interviews:
Having provided care over the past 33 years as well as working Foster and Kinship Carers I am very aware of the affects of prolonged trauma on children who cannot live with their family of origin. This book allows little people and adults a real opportunity understand nurture and to be aware relationships are forged on kindness and understanding as well as a much better understanding of self awareness of the care needed for those around us. As a representative of Foster Carers I am thrilled to be able to encourage everyone, not only children to read and gather a better understanding of our children who have interrupted development through trauma and are longing for a forever family that love them with all their soul. An amazing book and a huge thank you to Dinity Powel for such an intuitive caring story and Heidi Cooper Smith for such beautiful illustrations. Bryan Smith CEO Queensland Foster and Kinship Care
Dimity Powell has done it again with a book that is packed full of emotion. She employs ways of helping us understand and feel Tim’s raw emotions … (with) use of evocative language (to) both complement and enrich the reading/listening experience. Heidi Cooper Smith’s watercolour illustrations, which capture the essence of childhood as well as the emotions, are a perfect complement to (the) text. While there are other picture books that introduce the diversity of families, I’m not aware of another that deals so well with the foster situation. As many of us will have in our classes, children who live with foster families, it is important to add The Boy Who Lost His Laugh to the shelves for that reason alone. That it does so with warmth, understanding, humour and heart provides even more reason. I am happy to recommend The Boy Who Lost His Laugh for any early childhood classroom, school or library. Norah Colvin, Readilearn
Dimity is a valued supporter of our Hook into Books campaign, which seeks to nurture a love of reading for children and young people in out-of-home care. Her writing has been warmly received by the Life Without Barriers community, and we look forward to sharing The Boy Who Lost His Laugh. Congratulations, Dimity, and thank you for your generous support. Dale Murray, Executive Director Education – Life Without Barriers
Foster care inspires kids’ book on rediscovering joy. Australian author, Dimity Powell’s latest picture book highlights the realities of foster care, reminding readers taht even when child loses their laugh, hope can help restore it. Click on the link above to listen to the full interview. Hope Radio 103.2 with Laura Bennett
I adore Dimity Powell’s books … because each one is so powerful and heartfelt. I have found a piece of myself, a friend or a family member in each of her books. Her newest picture book is just as poignant, and absolutely gorgeous. It transports the reader into the shoes and emotions of a child as he navigates the foster care system. This is a treasure you don’t want to miss. An amazingly honest and hopeful window, allowing kids (and adults) to understand what it feels like to be a foster kid, and a beautiful and touching mirror for kids in the foster system to see themselves in a book, know they are seen and are important. A magnificent heartfelt book, full of honesty and hope, with a dash of humor. Maria Marshall The Picture Book Buzz
Comprehensive interview with picture book fanatic, author and blogger, Maria Marshall on writing The Boy Who Lost His Laugh, my most productive writing locations, my favourite part of creatiing this tale and more! Read the full interview on Maria’s The Picture Book Buzz site
Happy endings for foster children are always welcome … A gentle tale … 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. Kirkus Review – February edition
Smith illustrates her well-composed scenes with clarity, warmth, and sensitivity in this
hopeful book about fostering. Carolyn Phelan – Book List April edition
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