Leo: A Ghost Story by Mac Barnett and Christian Robinson
| Leo: a Ghost Story by Mac Barnett and Christian Robinson | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Anne Thompson
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| Summary: A story about finding friendship in the most unlikely places, this picture book fosters the idea of nurturing imagination in young children too. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 52 | Date: August 2015 |
| Publisher: Chronicle Books | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: I 978-1452131566 | |
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Most people cannot see ghosts, but you can. Leo is a ghost and as you turn the opening pages of this book you can see Leo, sitting under a table quietly reading his book. For many years Leo has lived alone in his house but then one day a family move into his home. He is delighted as he welcomes the idea of company. Unfortunately, unlike the reader, this family cannot see Leo and make it very clear that they hate ghostly beings in their home. Poor Leo realises that he isn’t wanted and sadly leaves his old home to wander the streets as a roaming ghost in search of friendship.
This is a very clever opening as it results in the reader feeling as though they are linked to Leo from the start and promotes a feeling of closeness to him. As he wanders the city alone he looks small and lost but then he meets a little girl called Jane who surprises Leo by greeting him and inviting him to play with her. She is clearly a small person with a vivid imagination and big ideas. She informs Leo that she is the King and he is to be her knight and she then proceeds to introduce him to her range of imaginary friends, all of which are animals. There is a jolly moment when Leo second guesses that Sir Squawks is a bird only to be sternly told that No… Sir Squawks is a giant hamster. Leo is overjoyed to have a proper friend at last but is worried that if Jane discovers that he is not an imaginary friend but a ghostly one she will be frightened. Happily events take place that enable Leo to use his ghost skills to good effect and all is resolved perfectly.
This book has, I think, rather a retro feel about it. The illustrations are in tones of blue, grey and black and slightly melancholy in appearance adding to the feeling of slight sadness at Leo’s predicament. The overall look is a simple one, however it conveys the story very well. I am reminded of picture books of the 1960s but unfortunately can’t quite place the particular book or books that I am thinking of. My favourite page is the one on which Leo goes to bed so happy he couldn’t sleep. A brief sentence and one simple picture and yet the joy is obvious to the reader.
Each time I look at this book I enjoy it more. The friendship between Jane and Leo is appealing as is her matter of fact attitude to events. I think that young children would find this a very reassuring tale. Far from being a scary ghost story this is in fact a happy story about small friends. Although adults are keen to foster imagination in children some can be a little perturbed by the idea of imaginary friends and this book may reassure them too!
Thank you to the publishers for providing this review copy.
If you enjoy this book you may like to try Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Leo: A Ghost Story by Mac Barnett and Christian Robinson at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Leo: A Ghost Story by Mac Barnett and Christian Robinson at Amazon.com.
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