Leo the Lioness

by Constance C. Greene

A thirteen-year-old girl lives through the very special frustrations that come with the realization that real life doesn't measure up to the ideal.

Genres: Fiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Born on October 27th, 1924, Constance C. Greene, the daughter of newspaper reporters, published A Girl Called Al (Viking, 1969) the story about a very intelligent girl who is an under-achiever and latch key kid, although Greene says that at the time of the writing the term wasn't being used yet. Al was a likable character and other books followed.

One of Greene's most popular books, Beat the Turtle Drum (Viking 1976), came from personal experience. At the age of eleven, Greene's sister died. The story relates how a young girl learns to cope with the accidental death of her sister. The book was adapted for television in 1976 as Very Good Friends and was shown on the ABC After-school Special.

Greene also wrote other juvenile and adult novels, among them Nora: Maybe a Ghost Story and Isabelle the Itch.

—Leslie Greaves Radloff

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just finished reading this really quick, short book called LEO THE LIONESS by Constance C. Greene, published in 1970. It's all about a girl, teetering between childhood and teenager, named Tibb, who is obsessed with horoscopes. I think that's the angle that made me want to pick it up and read it. The book takes place during one summer when things change. Her older sister becomes obsessed with boys, Tibb's best friend becomes friends with Tibb's sister more than with her. And her old baby-sitter, whom she looks up to very much, has quit her job at a bookstore in town, is not going to college, and is getting married to the sexy lifeguard at the beach. This was a fun, quick read, but I will say that I probably won't remember it in a year. I think what lacked for me was the fact that the story was not about Tibb really, but everybody else around her. Her character didn't really have a story/plot, and I wouldn't even call it a character study. She was just telling us in the first person what everybody else was doing. I'm not saying that is bad. On the contrary, I finished it in two sittings and it kept my interest, but I kept waiting for something dramatic or life-altering to happen. Maybe it did, but I was expecting something else, or more to happen. I think if the author, whom I have never heard of before, had incorporated more things into the book, it would have had more of an impact on the reader. What is interesting is that nothing really has changed since 1970. It's odd to think of that. A half a century has gone by and we really haven't changed that much. Again, the only thing that has is the telephones have become cellular. The way we look, and the opposite sex, and friendships, and parents haven't changed. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad. Anyway, it was a good read. I really enjoy discovering these not popular or known books and authors from long ago and far away. I think the only thing that's changed is that people have accumulated more problems for themselves, which is odd considering we've done everything to try and make life easier, more simple. It's like the more leisure time we possess the more time we have to waste and accumulate more issues. But that's just me. Hopefully, we can get back to just worrying about our freckles, and teen pregnancies like Tibb has to deal with in LEO THE LIONESS. A fun read from the problems and observations of a pre-teen from half a century ago. I just think it needed a little more something to make it truly memorable. If it did, perhaps it wouldn't have fallen through the cracks of time. Apparently, this author, Constance C. Greene, is known for a book called A GIRL CALLED AL. I'll have to search that one out sometime. Would give this book a C. It was good, but sadly I won't remember it, other than the main character's obsession with horoscopes and signs of the zodiac.

[Sunday Hollis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book! It was like listening to my 13 year old self!

[Giulia · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my 5th grade favorites..