Leo: A Ghost Story

Product Information

Meeting a young girl named Jane on a sidewalk, Leo finds a companion, one who can see him, but who mistakes him for an imaginary friend. But that ambiguity keeps it from falling into the syrupy-sweet traps that make so many kids’ books so irritating. When a new family moves into his home and Leo's efforts to welcome them are misunderstood, Leo decides it is time to leave and see the world.

I’ve seen other reviewers recommending the book for ages 4-6, but I think kids much older than that will love it. Delighted to have finally found a friend, Leo is torn - should he tell Jane that he is not what she thinks, and risk losing her? Mac immediately establishes a connection with the reader by breaking the fourth wall and allowing them to see Leo with the first page turn when not many others in the story can see him.I appreciated the fact that Jane is a dark-skinned young girl - too many of the more diverse picture-books out there are message-driven, and not enough are fanciful - but that this is not a narrative (or artistic) focus. At it's heart, this tale is an affirmation of friendship and acceptance, with Leo learning that a true friend will love him as he is.

And in Jane, they create a brilliant heroine whose powers lie within her wit, her open mind, and her freedom of play.Last year, after our yearly author visit, I was driving through downtown Montgomery to have dinner with my wife (in the passenger seat) and Mac Barnett ( in the back seat). In any case, this was a sweet tale made all the better by Robinson's illustrations, done in acrylic paint and cut-out paper, in varying shades of blue, brown and black. As always Robinson shows that he is a genius of mood—shades of blue and heavy black lines cast a melancholy glow—and posture. The best element of this story is the illustration of the little boy ghost Leo, done often on vellum that overlaps other things and characters. The look of the book is mod and sparky enough to delight design-loving parents, while the text, by Mac Barnett is wry, evocative and rich.