Tag Fay Evans

The Laugh

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The Laugh
Fay Evans and Ayse Klinge
Flying Eye Books

‘There was once a lady who had the loveliest laugh in the world.’ This lady laughed both loudly and quietly, sometimes with others, sometimes to herself; her laugh was contagious

and always full of love, no matter how it sounded. But then one day, that lovely lady becomes ill and dies, and with her dies the laughter.

The lady has left a great big hole in the world.

Her little girl can’t find the laughter, no matter where she searches. Then unexpectedly, something funny happens and the girl laughs again.

This moving look at a child navigating loss is such a beautiful tribute to a mother whose presence in her child’s life is enormous. The author of the third person narrative acknowledges that after a loved one’s death the family affected are unable to ‘move on’ – and indeed don’t want to but ends on a positive suggestion that the possibility of laughter returning is in fact, welcome. Ayse Klinge’s warm, comforting mixed-media illustrations convey strong emotions throughout as the book moves from joyful laughter, to sadness and then to laughter once more.

This book would be an invaluable resource for any young child who is grieving for a loved one.

Creatures of the Order

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Creatures of the Order
Jules Howard, Fay Evans and Kelsey Oseid
Weldon Owen (Twenty Watt)

Have you ever wondered what a lion and a meercat have in common, a quali and a peacock, or a lemur and a gorilla?

If so, or if you have a mind that likes things ordered, or merely have an interest in animals, then this book is for you.
It groups together creatures belonging to the same taxonomic order, Kelsey Oseid illustrates them beautifully, and Jules Howard and Fay Evans provide essential information about each one.

Before all that come an introduction to taxonomy, a spread on animal classification with some examples, and another spread on the evolution of the orders.
The sixteen orders embrace the enormously diverse animal kingdom and it’s fascinating to look closely at the members of each order to discover their common feature/s.

Beginning with the Carnivora, each order is allocated two double spreads, the first of which includes an introductory paragraph, a small illustration of every animal and facts about same, the others being covered on the following spread that also provides further information about particular features.

I was most fascinated by the Odonata and had no idea that there were so many different kinds of these beautiful insects (dragonflies and damselflies) one of which has a wingspan of nearly 20cm.

A book to include in a family collection, as well as to add to the primary or secondary school library.