Leo + Lea

by Monica Wesolowska, Kenard Pak (Illustrator)

A beautiful celebration of friendship, math, and art that honors different ways of seeing and being in the world.



"The mathematical wonder is creatively incorporated." - Kirkus Reviews



"It all adds up to an inventive, affecting story." - Publishers Weekly





One

boy

loves numbers.

Everywhere he looks

he sees things to count.

His classmates don't understand counting as he does.

A new girl loves patterns.

Could she be

a friend

for

Leo?





This beautiful friendship story, inspired by the Fibonacci sequence and cleverly constructed using its mathematical pattern, celebrates our differences, as well as how math connects us to one another.





Young readers will love counting the number of words per page and discovering how they echo the Fibonacci Sequence, a mathematical series in which each number is the sum of the previous 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, and so on to infinity! Text and art are masterfully conceived and constructed to reflect Leo's love of numbers. Even the color scheme in the striking illustrations follows a mathematical progression, bringing an underlying order and tranquility to the story. The mesmerizing symmetry of this fascinating and compulsively playable game of addition can also be found in the natural world and is an intriguing metaphor for the interconnectedness of all things.

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Mathematics, Childrens, Art, Nature, Fiction

40 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 2, 2022

About the author

Monica Wesolowska writes for adults and children. Her memoir HOLDING SILVAN: A BRIEF LIFE was named a "Best Book of the Year" by The Boston Globe and Library Journal. Her debut picture book LEO + LEA with illustrations by Kenard Pak won an SCBWI Crystal Kite Award and was a Common Sense Media family selection. ELBERT IN THE AIR with illustrations by Jerome Pumphrey was named a "Best Book of the Year" by Bank Street College of Education. A teacher of creative writing at Stanford Continuing Studies and elsewhere for over twenty years, Monica also works with aspiring writers through her independent editing business.

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a work of art. Not only is it beautiful in typical picture book ways, but the math! Oh my gosh, it's so nerdy and yet lyrical. It uses the Fibonacci sequence (to which I am partial) in so many ways, and I love it! So so so smart how it is done. Even the art is somehow done using the Fibonacci sequence, according to the illustrator note. Wow, this book is something else. I want to buy it just because I'm such a math nerd (and Kenard Pak fan).

[Cuddle Spike]

Such a cool picturebook.
Told through the eyes of a neuro-divergent kid who counts everything. The story is propelled by the Fibonacci sequence and the art inspired by the Fibonacci color hexadecimal code sequence

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle story of few words. A boy who counts everything is recognized by someone who draws as seeing patterns. She demonstrates with color and shapes.
Author and illustrator give brief descriptions of Fibonacci and hexadecimal code on the final page.

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple, unfolding text based on the mathematical Fibonacci sequence tells the story of a boy who likes numbers and a girl who likes flowers, their connection, and the seasons. Lovely illustrations, as ever, by Kenard Pal.

[Dylan Teut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the book. Admire the layers and ponder at the text.
Read the backmatter.
Re-read the book with a completely new layer of depth and appreciation.

[skcocnaH · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really lovely, but I wanted more Lea.

[Brittany Cash · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quant story about how our differences and help us find friendships in one another. Beautiful illustrations and message!

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations and a quiet, thoughtful little story about finding friendship.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A preschool/kindergarten age book about who loves counting and a girls who loves patterns. Illustrations are lovely and the book’s tone is calm and quiet.

[Olga Zilberbourg · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter and I have been reading and re-reading this book for several weeks now. There's so much here to study, feel, and think about. The story of a neuro-atypical kid is told through the world of his own interests, asking of the reader to fully embody his point of view. There's also the love story between him and his new friend, and the friend is also given enough interiority and characterization to be interesting in her own right and to feel like a main character of her own narrative. We spend several nights talking about who is actually the main character here, and what the story would look like if it began with Lea's point of view? The illustrations and the words here give so much meaning to each other. Love it.

[Dk Zier author & Midnight Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leo + Lea is a lovely story with beautiful illustrations of two kids who see the world differently. In time, they develop a special friendship by sharing the joy of their unique talents; much is conveyed in their quiet worlds.

[EJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful simplicity

I really appreciate the story behind this story, because I think it can be used as a simple way to explain how kids see and experience things, allowing for neurodiversity.

[Adrienne Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book as it incorporated math and patterns. I wish the illustrations were a bit brighter as they were a little darker than I hoped. I love the story of differences can make us bond and how you can count on each page. I would read to student in 2-4th grade.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little boy counts everything from squirrels to snowflakes. A new girl named Lea joins his class. when Leo is overwhelmed by the loudness of children playing at recess, he finds Lea making artwork with a pattern. pretty illustrations. story didn't really resonate with me.

[Angela De Groot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful friendship story, but also a story about how math and art and nature connect us. Love the use of the Fibonacci sequence in both the text and the art.

[Spinster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet book about kids making friends.

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping for a bit more of an explanation of how Leo and Lea connected. At first I did not realize Leo was experiencing the Fibonacci Sequence.

[Jenni Heins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book from story to pictures to lesson to learn.

[Heather Stigall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book has my mind blown (especially as a words, numbers, and visual gal)! Above all, LEO + LEA is a friendship story: First, the reader is introduced to Leo, who likes to count. Then Leo is introduced to Lea, who likes to draw. When the playground gets too overwhelming for Leo, he leaves to find some peace. He finds Lea (remember she likes to draw), and is delighted to find a pattern (remember he likes to count) in her art. Their commonality blossoms into friendship. This is a lovely story in itself, but the way the story is told and illustrated makes it truly magical. The “+” in the title hints at what’s to come, as well as the second spread which simply says, “counting,” but if you look closely, you’ll notice when Leo counts trees, squirrels, steps, classmates, and so on, his counting follows a pattern. Further, the text itself is written in the same Fibonacci sequence: One word on the first spread, followed by one word, then two words, then three, then five, and so on. And on top of that, the illustrator incorporates the Fibonacci sequence in the illustrations! Both author and illustrator share notes in the back matter that give further explanation about the inspiration for the story and art, explanation of the Fibonacci sequence, and illustration techniques used. Like I said, wow! This multi-layered, beautifully illustrated, heartwarming friendship story is truly a work of art!

[Catherine Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful picture book! I had to order this after learning the author of HOLDING SILVAN: A BRIEF LIFE mentioned she had a new children’s book coming out with Scholastic. What a creative way to illustrate a story about friendship, told through the eyes of a neurotypical child who likes to count everything. I loved how each page drew me in as I followed the Fibonacci sequence. I am sharing this book with my young grandchildren!