Henry & Leo, written by Pamela Zagarenski, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Lena D.
Summary: Henry is a boy who got a stuffed lion named Leo for his 2nd birthday. Since then, they have been inseparable. Henry believes that Leo is real and takes him everywhere to experience life. One day, Henry went on a walk with his family in The Nearby Woods. They walked so much that Papa had to carry Henry back home because he was so tired. At some point on that walk home, Leo was lost. Henry was so sad and inconsolable. During the night time, the animals in the woods find Leo and help him find his way back home. In the morning, Henry goes outside, and there Leo is! His parents were confused because they had already looked there the previous night, but Henry knows that Leo found his way back on his own.

Straight Talk for Librarians: This book can be used in libraries as an interesting choice for independent reading or it would work as a read aloud to a smaller group so that they can look at the illustrations. It can also be used in the classroom to teach a lesson that even when something goes wrong, there is always a solution. The author's art style can be very appealing to young children. The illustrations are mixed media, so there is a lot to look at. The people and animals look very realistic, while some of the backgrounds look real and some look fantastical. The color choices illustrate the light and dark to show the reader when it is light or dark outside. The author also put crowns on the people and animals at different times, which could be interpreted that everyone is important. There is a lot of love portrayed in the story, which could make for a perfect bedtime story. It’s a beautiful book to put into any library collection.