Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Love, friendship beat out meanness in poignant, funny tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
LEEVA AT LAST finds its young heroine, who's not exactly sure how old she is, in dire straits. Her mother, the town mayor, cares only for fame. Her father, the town treasurer, cares only for money. Since Leeva failed to garner either for them as a newborn, she's been imprisoned in their creepy house, forced to eat bad food and essentially enslaved as an unpaid household servant. Through it all, she longs for her parents' love -- but as the story opens, she discovers that they've been lying to her about practically everything to suit themselves and keep her away from the outside world. A hole in the hedge leads her to the library next door, friends, and books. More friends soon follow, as well as a rescued badger. But Leeva lives in fear that her new friends will learn her secret -- that she's the child of the horrible and hated pair who are stealing as much as they can from the town.
Is It Any Good?
There's a lot to love about Sara Pennypacker's cartoonish but heartstring-tugging tale of an abused kid who finds friendship and chosen family and discovers ways to right a lot of wrongs.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stories like Leeva at Last, which focus on kids with abusive parents who find a path to a better life. Is this a theme in other stories you've read? How did it work out for the kids?
Do you like going to the library in your town? When you go, is there a particular book you're looking for, or do you just see what you might like? Does the librarian help?
Ms. Flowers the librarian is determined to try a cookie recipe from every country in the world. What's your favorite cookie? Do you like to bake?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Matthew Cordell
- Genre : Friendship
- Topics : Activism , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Gratitude , Integrity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Balzer + Bray
- Publication date : March 7, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 320
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate