A review by snowelf
Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus
5.0
I'm completely enthralled by this book. It's endearing, it is funny, and it is motivational and inspiring. I'm really having a hard time letting go of it, since I borrowed it at the library. I was first taken in by the illustrations which are splashing in color and humorously portray by facial expressions Leo's backwardness/awkwardness, father's anxiety/impatience and mother's gentle love and warm confidence in her offspring.
The story tells our children not to worry about not growing up fast enough, because they all will get there on their own time, and it teaches parents to relax and hold back on the motherly worries and the fatherly ambitions. The illustrations are hilarious at times, Leo's skills (or lack thereof) are compared to five very capable animal friends, and while they each do things their own way they admittedly have a big lead on Leo. And while father tries to hide his concern it only keeps growing, while Leo looks ever so baffled and out of place.
The illustrations are credited to two artists: [a:José Aruego|5480|José Aruego|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] who draws and [a:Ariane Dewey|5479|Ariane Dewey|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] who adds the color. I swept up everything I could find with this winning team at the library. This included the mouse series: [b:Whose Mouse Are You?|197438|Whose Mouse Are You?|Robert Kraus|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172606057s/197438.jpg|1517345], [b:Where Are You Going, Little Mouse?|252602|Where Are You Going, Little Mouse?|Robert Kraus|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173155878s/252602.jpg|244778] and [b:Come Out and Play, Little Mouse|7406265|Come Out and Play, Little Mouse|Robert Kraus|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1267453625s/7406265.jpg|9317543], but the illustrations in these books, while easily recognizable, are a little more subdued and less playful. The tone of the books is also somewhat cynical and sometimes a little too mean for my taste. The following books however are very much in the spirit of Leo and I would heartily recommend them: [b:Milton The Early Riser|1269316|Milton The Early Riser (Stories To Go!)|Robert Kraus|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1182386427s/1269316.jpg|1258234], [b:Herman the Helper|829396|Herman the Helper|Robert Kraus|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1178739384s/829396.jpg|403503], [b:Owliver|384481|Owliver|Robert Kraus|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174348621s/384481.jpg|1957174] and [b:Little Louie the Baby Bloomer|414288|Little Louie the Baby Bloomer|Robert Kraus|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174529808s/414288.jpg|403509].
The story tells our children not to worry about not growing up fast enough, because they all will get there on their own time, and it teaches parents to relax and hold back on the motherly worries and the fatherly ambitions. The illustrations are hilarious at times, Leo's skills (or lack thereof) are compared to five very capable animal friends, and while they each do things their own way they admittedly have a big lead on Leo. And while father tries to hide his concern it only keeps growing, while Leo looks ever so baffled and out of place.
The illustrations are credited to two artists: [a:José Aruego|5480|José Aruego|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] who draws and [a:Ariane Dewey|5479|Ariane Dewey|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] who adds the color. I swept up everything I could find with this winning team at the library. This included the mouse series: [b:Whose Mouse Are You?|197438|Whose Mouse Are You?|Robert Kraus|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172606057s/197438.jpg|1517345], [b:Where Are You Going, Little Mouse?|252602|Where Are You Going, Little Mouse?|Robert Kraus|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173155878s/252602.jpg|244778] and [b:Come Out and Play, Little Mouse|7406265|Come Out and Play, Little Mouse|Robert Kraus|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1267453625s/7406265.jpg|9317543], but the illustrations in these books, while easily recognizable, are a little more subdued and less playful. The tone of the books is also somewhat cynical and sometimes a little too mean for my taste. The following books however are very much in the spirit of Leo and I would heartily recommend them: [b:Milton The Early Riser|1269316|Milton The Early Riser (Stories To Go!)|Robert Kraus|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1182386427s/1269316.jpg|1258234], [b:Herman the Helper|829396|Herman the Helper|Robert Kraus|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1178739384s/829396.jpg|403503], [b:Owliver|384481|Owliver|Robert Kraus|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174348621s/384481.jpg|1957174] and [b:Little Louie the Baby Bloomer|414288|Little Louie the Baby Bloomer|Robert Kraus|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174529808s/414288.jpg|403509].