The world knows Candace Payne as "Chewbacca Mom," the wife and mother of two from Dallas who captured the hearts of nearly 200 million people around the world with nothing but a toy Chewbacca mask, a smart phone, and infectious laughter.

Candace's viral moment of simple joy became Facebook Live's top video. But what the video doesn't show is Candace's storied journey of daunting obstacles on the way to the joy-filled life--extreme poverty, past trauma, and struggles with self-worth.

Laugh It Up tells the rest of the story behind the woman in the mask. Like most of us,...