Parents' Guide to

Leo + Lea

By Stephanie Morgan, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Gorgeous illustrations celebrate math, nature, and friends.

Book Monica Wesolowska Picture Book 2022
Leo + Lea cover art

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 4+

Based on 2 parent reviews

LoveGoodBooks
LoveGoodBooks Parent of 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8-year-old
November 8, 2022
age 4+

There's more to what we share than what marks us as different

This book offers so much, in so many ways... but not in obvious ways, so it requires a quiet sharing between child and grown-up, which is a beautiful and perhaps uncommon gift from most books. Each of the many times that we returned to this book, we saw new things, we felt more relevant connections, we learned more, we were more drawn in to the power of the subtle influences that impact all lives, even though rarely noticed. The Fibonacci Sequence, as it is introduced in Wesolowska's book, is accessible and meaningful... a treasured foundation for deeper and wider explorations that are as big as Life itself. Grateful to have found this book.
FarmerMama
FarmerMama Adult
October 25, 2022
age 4+

A Beautiful, Gentle And Positive Book

As a mother of a sensitive, shy and artistic child, I was very grateful to find this gentle book about two kids who have their own unique ways of relating to the world. The book’s rhythms, comforting patterns and lush colors beautifully pair with the poetic storytelling. I too was one of those kids who hid at recess to draw pictures and think my own thoughts. Back then, I felt I was strange and wrong for being different. I wish I had been read this loving and accepting book. A very positive book for all children.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
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What's the Story?

LEO + LEA is a beautiful friendship story, inspired by the Fibonacci sequence and cleverly constructed using its mathematical pattern. It celebrates our differences, as well as how math connects us to one another. Young readers will love counting the number of words per page and discovering how they echo the Fibonacci sequence, a mathematical series in which each number is the sum of the previous two: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, and so on to infinity. Even the color scheme in the striking illustrations follows a mathematical progression, bringing an underlying order and tranquility to the story.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (1):

In this unique book, author Monica Wesolowska and illustrator Kenard Pak use lyrical prose and dazzling art to teach readers about the magic of math. Leo + Lea is a stunningly original picture book that both children and adults will marvel over again and again. There are so many intriguing things packed into so few words here, from the soothing rhythm of the text to the repeating patterns hidden throughout, as well as the book's gentle tone and inclusive theme. Add in the frame-worthy artwork, and you'll want to gift it to every preschooler in your life.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the unique way that Leo + Lea teaches the Fibonacci sequence. Where did you notice it while reading? Check out the last page of the book where notes from both the author and the illustrator will tell you more.

  • Both Leo and Lea display a lot of curiosity about the natural world around them. Why is that a good trait to have?

  • How would you describe the colors used in this book? What mood do you think the illustrator was trying to create? How did the middle of the book (which had the most contrasting colors) make you feel compared with the beginning and end (which had the least)?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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