It's Still OK to Laugh is a comforting picture book for children experiencing grief or loss. Through warm language and tender illustrations, this story helps kids understand that it is okay to cry, and it is also okay to laugh and feel joy again. Feelings can mix together, and that does not mean we loved any less.

Perfect for families, teachers, school counselors, child therapists, and anyone supporting a child through the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a big loss. This book gently encourages open conversation and emotional expression.

A helpful resource for social emotional learning, grief support groups, hospice and hospital settings, and home libraries.

Love stays. Memories stay. Laughter can stay too.

Julie Devaney Hogan is a Boston-born-and-raised start-up executive turned children's author and essayist. While leading teams in fast-growing tech companies and raising three young children, Julie was diagnosed with breast cancer. During that time, she noticed many books about grief focused on the sadness and the tears, but not the laughter that still shows up in the middle of everything. When she could not find a story that gave children permission to feel both, she wrote one. Julie's essays have been featured in Newsweek and TODAY. She loves the ocean, the outdoors, the love of her life Dave, and spending every possible minute enjoying life with her friends and family.

“Julie is one of the bravest people I’ve ever met. This book is not only a gift to her children. It’s a gift to all of us.” —Katie Couric

"Tears and laughs—that's what I expect from Julie Devaney Hogan. This book, a true gift for parents who want to teach children about life and loss, is no exception. A must-read for families navigating grief, and a beautiful reminder that loss doesn't have to cancel out joy." — Rheana Murray, editor for Newsweek

"A beautiful gift to the world—gentle light in moments of darkness, a soft breeze through sadness. Julie's story will bring you tears and smiles. And if it leads to an ugly cry or an unexpected burst of laughter, it's OK too. Thank you, Julie, for the beautiful reminder that joy and grief can live side by side—and that laughter will always belong to us." — Jossy Lee, author of Mommy Goes to Work,  board member, MIT Sloan Boston Alumni Association