Leo

Starred review from June 1, 2015
As a ghost, Leo may be invisible and intangible, but he can still feel bruised. When a family moves into the empty home he occupies, they aren’t exactly pleased to see the floating tray of tea and toast he has prepared for them. “This house is haunted!” cries the father as the family cowers in the bathtub. “I hate tea!” says his son. “And I hate ghosts!” In one of several funny-sad moments, Robinson (Last Stop on Market Street) shows Leo floating above the family, hands clasped to his mouth in shock at their reaction. Leaving the house, Leo explores the unfamiliar city and befriends a girl named Jane, who mistakes him for an imaginary friend. Robinson’s blue-black palette reflects the somewhat somber mood; along with the somewhat retro look of the art, Leo’s formal attire suggests he’s been a ghost for some time. Barnett (The Skunk) concludes on a high note, though, as Leo foils a robbery with help from a classic ghost accessory—the white bed sheet. It’s a warm and wise story about acceptance trumping difference—including that between life and death. Ages 3–5. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

Starred review from June 15, 2015
Leo, like any child, hopes for acceptance, but it's hard to find friendship when one is a ghost. Mystery (the delicious kind) clings to the faded wallpaper and soft blue glow of the title-page spread, as an arm and leg disappear into the wall, and readers are introduced to Leo on a double-page spread apparently empty of people. But then the author's clever text includes readers in the secret, and Leo is revealed. An amiable and appealing child, Leo has spent many years alone in his home reading, until a new family moves in. Leo tries to welcome them; but alas! They want nothing to do with a ghost, and he's forced to leave. Invisible and lonely, he roams until he encounters Jane, a girl with a beautiful, big imagination who invites him to play, assuming he's one of her imaginary friends. Nervously, Leo tells Jane he's not imaginary, that he's real and a ghost, and this wonderful, accepting girl says that's even better. The atmospheric illustrations, done in acrylic paint and pencil, seem simple, but there's an authenticity and precision that is extremely sophisticated. Robinson creates a vintage 1950s-'60s feel, offering up a raw version of M. Sasek. Together, words and pictures construct a whimsical, delightful story that deeply respects the child. And in Jane, they create a brilliant heroine whose powers lie within her wit, her open mind, and her freedom of play. Dazzling. (Picture book. 3-6)

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Starred review from September 1, 2015

K-Gr 2-When Leo, a ghost, finds the new inhabitants of his house unwelcoming, he takes to the streets. Luckily, he encounters the fantastically fun Jane, who believes he is an imaginary friend. When Leo helps catch a thief breaking into her house, he is forced to admit that he is not an imaginary friend but a real one. Fortunately, the unflappable Jane graciously takes this all in stride. Barnett's story is expectedly droll and told in deadpan prose. There's just enough of it to provide a canvas for Robinson's thoughtful illustrations. His palette is almost exclusively blue, but the contrast between the different tones is sharp, and the heavy doses of gray with hints of green soften much of the blue into a neutral tone. Robinson solves the issue of a white ghost on a white page smartly by depicting Leo as a blue outline on white paper. Leo beautifully contrasts with the geometrically composed live humans, and Robinson finds some clever opportunities for depicting Leo's transparency. The balance of texture and white space helps mitigate the many shades of blue, retaining visual interest and keeping the overall feel upbeat. VERDICT A whimsical tale from Barnett aptly accompanied by enthralling artwork by Robinson. What's not to drool over?-Erin Reilly-Sanders, Ohio State University, Columbus

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Starred review from July 1, 2015
Preschool-G *Starred Review* In an empty house on the edge of a city lives Leo, the ghost of a young boy. He has been alone in the house a long time, and when a family moves in, he's delighted to have company, immediately rushing out to greet them with tea and toast. But not all families appreciate ghosts; when the tray comes floating toward them, they panic and call in the experts to dehaunt their house. Leo, knowing when he's unwelcome, leaves on his own to roam the city and meets a girl named Jane, who can see him. The trouble is, she thinks he's an imaginary friend, and If I tell her I am a ghost, Leo thinks, I will scare her away. Then, one night, a burglar breaks into Jane's house, and it's up to Leo to do what only a ghostand not an imaginary someonecan do. The vintage-style cutout illustrations, almost entirely done in shades of blue, convey Leo's ghostliness and work well with the clever design. The first spread, apparently of an empty room, introduces our hero: This is Leo. Most people cannot see him. But with a turn of a page, there he is ( But you can ), reading happily, sketched transparently as a simple line drawing. Despite the blue tones and Leo's initial loneliness, this is a tender, touching story of friendship and the power of imagination. And it is sure to warm hearts.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)