Leo the Late Bloomer

by Robert Kraus

Book Overview

This heartwarming story of how a little tiger named Leo bloomed is told by bestselling author Robert Kraus and is accompanied by the wonderfully bold illustrations of Jose Aruego.

"Captivating and rollicking." --The Horn Book

Leo isn't reading, or writing, or drawing, or even speaking, and his father is concerned. But Leo's mother isn't. She knows her son will do all those things,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 006443348X
• ISBN13: 9780064433488
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.3" x 11.0"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Didn't receive what I ordered

This was my husbands favorite book as a child. I ordered a hard cover copy for him this Christmas and I received a paperback version. I'm so disappointed. Tomorrow is christmas eve so there's no time to reorder.

Great present

I sent this to my grand children who speak Spanish and they love it. I read this book to my own children for several years and it is a wonderful book.

leo, el retono tardio

está escrito con mucho amor y ternura. me identifiqué con el libro porque tiene mucho que ver con mi experiencia como madre y pienso que todas las madres y los PEDIATRAS deben leerlo. es magnífico.

Beautiful Colors!

Leo the Late Bloomer is another in the vast series of books that made my childhood the happy time it was. I know it has a message about bolstering self esteem and being special in who you are, and in feeling confident that if you wait and do your best, your unique talents will blossom before the world, but you know, twenty years later none of that matters a hill of beans to me. What I seriously recall most is that is the colors in Leo are simply wonderful. I'd sit in my cozy miniature chair with the fluffy orange "fur" on it and I'd stare rapt at the vivid, semi-fluorescent day-glo colors of the flowers, of the tiger's fur, of the birds, of what seemed like every part of this genuinely captivating picture book. In terms of visuals alone, this book will draw any child straight into it. Staring at this used to do something positive to my three-year-old brain and make me happy. I'm being serious. Get this for a 3-4-5 year old and watch what they do. I bet dollars to donuts they stare at the colors and sit with their face about an inch off the page. I don't know what it is about Leo The Late Bloomer, but it connects somehow with the visual/emotional/cognitive centers of the young mind in a way I personally can't remember any other book quite achieving.

A pleasing look at how children can develop differently.

What better way to explain to a child that it's OK to be different? Leo the Late Bloomer is a classic of American children's stories with brilliant illustrations that bring the tale to life. Leo the young tiger doesn't lead a "normal" child's life and his Father is constantly worried that something is wrong with his son. Leo experiences many of the childhood frustrations that we are all too familiar with such as being unathletic, unartistic or ostracized by your peers. Over time Leo absorbs what the others have been doing and eventually blossoms with a newfound love for life. This book brilliantly conveys the revelation of a child discovering his or her place in the giant world. Leo the Late Bloomer is a timeless classic with a relevant social message and is an enjoyable read for any age child

The most memorable and helpful story from my childhood

Leo the Late Bloomer is THE most memorable story I can recall from my childhood. The illustrations are large and colorful, the text is simple, and the plot is positive and effective as a self-esteem builder for children. I remember feeling so much better about my imperfections after reading or being read Leo the Late Bloomer. I highly suggest this book for all children to funcion as an ego-booster, or simply a "feel-good" book. (It may even make an adult feel more adequate!