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