• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Baby + Toddler (0-2)
  • Pre-K (3-5)
  • Beginning Readers (6-7)
  • Growing Readers (7-9)
  • Tweens (10-12)
Happily Ever Elephants
Happily Ever Elephants

Happily Ever Elephants

The Best Kids Books Found Here!

  • Home
  • Book Lists
  • Winter Books!
  • About
  • Home
  • Baby + Toddler (0-2)
  • Pre-K (3-5)
  • Beginning Readers (6-7)
  • Growing Readers (7-9)
  • Tweens (10-12)
Books by Theme » Friendship » Why We Love Leonardo the Terrible Monster

Why We Love Leonardo the Terrible Monster

By Lauren Bercuson ·  Published: May 20, 2016 ·  Modified: Jan 24, 2023 ·  This post may contain affiliate links

Leonardo the Terrible Monster is one of our all-time favorite kids’ books. It’s about being true to yourself and being a good friend, too. Check out why we love it below!

A child holding the book Leonardo the Terrible Monster in front of his face and sticking out his tongue.
Table of Contents:
  1. Leonardo the Terrible Monster is one of our all-time favorite children’s books!
  2. A look inside Leonardo the Terrible Monster
  3. Leonardo tackles big emotions with ease and authenticity
  4. Frequently Asked Questions

Leonardo the Terrible Monster is one of our all-time favorite children’s books!

Is there anything Mo Willems can’t do?! If you have been following our journey, you know that Willems is one of my favorite children’s book authors. Every book of his that rests on our shelves is pure gold, from the Knuffle Bunny series to the Elephant and Piggie series; from the Pigeon series to my pick of the day: Leonardo the Terrible Monster.

A look inside Leonardo the Terrible Monster

Leonardo the Terrible Monster is downright adorable, and its large size and thick pages make it even more special.

In this story, Leonardo has a problem: he is one terrible monster. As hard as he tries, he cannot scare anyone!

So Leonardo does his research and finds the most scaredy-cat kid in the world, Sam, and he goes on a mission to scare the tuna salad out of thim.

After his first attempt at frightening Sam with roars and grrrrs and blaggles, Sam bursts into tears. Leonardo believes his mission was successful until Sam unleashes a litany of wrongs that have upset him, all having nothing to do with our little monster.

When Leonardo realizes how sad Sam is, he makes a big decision: he decides Sam needs a friend instead of a monster. And if he isn’t the scariest monster in the world? And he’s not the same as the others?

Well, that’s ok too.

Happily Ever Elephants participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.

You can purchase Leonardo the Terrible Monster at these links!

RELATED: We’ve got more than 100 children’s book lists for you on Happily Ever Elephants, so be sure to check them out!

Leonardo tackles big emotions with ease and authenticity

Willems brilliantly weaves back and forth between large images and small corner illustrations, effortlessly maximizing white space when Leonardo feels sad and small, but then zooming in again when emotions are heightened and big decisions must be made.

What I find most special about this book is how it humanizes monsters- typically a thing of nightmares and fears. Willems, however, flips this idea on its head, revealing that monsters have emotions too, and some can even be quite sensitive to the needs of others.

Willems knows just how to speak to our youngest readers, showing them that not all monsters are scary and some would much rather be a friend than a foe.

Simply put, Willems just gets it. His books and his action-packed illustrations never disappoint. In Leonardo, the Terrible Monster Willems once again created a stand-out character that leaves an impact on – and a smile with – every child who meets him.

RELATED: We have amazing kindergarten read-alouds on the blog, and they make the best bedtime stories. Check them out!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the moral of Leonardo the Terrible Monster?

Leonardo teaches a great lesson on friendship and the importance of kindness. Being true to yourself, even if you may be different from others, is vital, and good friends will accept you for who you are.

Can you recommend other monster books for kids?

Absolutely! We love children’s books about monsters that are nice and misunderstood! Check out our favorites at the link.

What are your favorite Mo Willems books?

There are too many to name! That’s we made a list of Mo Willems books because we can never pick just one! Between Leonardo and Elephant and Piggie and Pigeon, there are tons to choose from, and our awesome list narrows it down.

You can purchase Leonardo the Terrible Monster at these links!

RELATED: Are your kids starting to read? Check out the best books for beginning readers and these kindergarten books for developing readers!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

3-4

« Previous PostTeaching Perspective with: A Tale of Two Beasts
Next Post »Gaston, an Amazing Book About Family Diversity, by Kelly DiPucchio

OTHER POSTS YOU MAY LIKE:

  • 3-4

    The Ultimate List of Mo Willems Books!
  • 3-4

    Nibbles: the Book Monster, by Emma Yarlett
  • 3-4

    The Best Books for Kids with Anxiety

Never Miss a Happily Ever Elephants Newsletter!

Join our community and discover 28 Unforgettable Books to Make Storytime Magical and Meaningful.

Thank you for subscribing!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Happily Ever Elephants!

Lauren

Hi! I’m Lauren. I’m a boy mom, former attorney, current elementary school librarian, and moderator of book clubs for kids around the country. My goal is to make storytime with your children both magical and meaningful. Welcome! LEARN MORE 

AS FEATURED IN

Good Housekeeping

Winter Books!

10+ Valentine’s Day Books for Kids!

The Cutest Children’s Books About Penguins

The Best Lunar New Year Read-Aloud Books!

The Best New Year Read-Alouds

SEE ALL WINTER BOOKS!

Popular Posts

kindergarten-read-alouds

These Kindergarten Read Alouds Will Wow Kids!

The covers of 9 of the best books for 10 year olds.

The Best Books for 10-Year-Olds To Excite Your Kids!

The cover of Gossie with some rubber ducks, a great book for 2 year olds.

The Best Books for 2-Year-Olds Your Reader Will Love!

beginning-reader-books

The Ultimate List of the Best Books for Beginning Readers!

JOIN OUR BOOK CLUB

Browse by Age

BABY + TODDLER (0-2)
PRE-K (3-5)
BEGINNING READER (6-7)
GROWING READER (7-9)
TWEENS (10-12)

before footer form

Don't Miss a Book!

Join our community and discover 28 Unforgettable Books to Make Storytime Magical and Meaningful.

Thank you for subscribing!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Make Storytime Magical and Meaningful with these 28 Unforgettable Books! DOWNLOAD

browse by age!

0-23-45+6-77-910-12

Looking to help your child develop their social and emotional skills?

Download our 8 Week Guide!

Suggested Grade Level: Pre-K - 3rd DOWNLOAD NOW

Archives

  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • October 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016

Categories

  • 0-2
  • 10-12
  • 3-4
  • 5+
  • 6-7
  • 7-9
  • All Book Lists
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bullying
  • Award Winners
  • Back to School
  • Bedtime
  • Black Children's Books
  • Combat Bias
  • Concept Books
  • Confidence
  • Diversity
  • Emotions
  • Empathy
  • Fall Books
  • Family
  • Featured Books by Age
  • Featured Books by Theme
  • Featured Children's Book Reviews
  • Friendship
  • Funny
  • Growth Mindset
  • Halloween
  • Holidays
  • Imagination
  • Interactive
  • Jewish Books
  • LGBQT
  • Life Skills
  • Life Transitions
  • Non Fiction
  • Own Voices
  • Playing Preschool Book Lists
  • Popular Posts
  • Raising Readers
  • Social Justice
  • Special Interests & Hobbies
  • Spring Books
  • STEM
  • Summer Books
  • Thanksgiving
  • Uncategorized
  • Winter books
  • Winter Holidays
  • Wordless

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Join 70k+ Instagram Followers

Find even more great book recommendations with the @happily.ever.elephants Instagram community!
Join more than 70k+ parents for more tips, recommendations and reviews.

Footer

Don’t miss a single book.

Join our community and discover 28 Unforgettable Books to Make Storytime Magical and Meaningful.

Thank you for subscribing!

Buy the Books

The best virtual book clubs for kids. Why read alone when we can read together?

JOIN NOW!
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2025 ·  Happily Ever Elephants LLC ·  Review Policies & Disclosures ·  Accessibility ·  Website by Anchored Design

0 shares