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Mo Willems
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Leonardo, the Terrible Monster Hardcover – Picture Book, September 1, 2005

by Mo Willems (Author)
4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 848 ratings
Teachers' pick
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Leonardo is truly a terrible monster-terrible at being a monster that is. No matter how hard he tries, he can't seem to frighten anyone. Determined to succeed, Leonardo sets himself to training and research. Finally, he finds a nervous little boy, and scares the tuna salad out of him! But scaring people isn't quite as satisfying as he thought it would be. Leonardo realizes that he might be a terrible, awful monster-but he could be a really good friend.
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  1. Reading age
    2 - 5 years, from customers
  2. Print length
    48 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Preschool - Kindergarten
  5. Lexile measure
    AD560L
  6. Dimensions
    9.3 x 0.42 x 12.82 inches
  7. Publisher
    Hyperion Books for Children
  8. Publication date
    September 1, 2005
  9. ISBN-10
    0786852941
  10. ISBN-13
    978-0786852949
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 1–Leonardo is a terrible monster–terrible as in he can't scare anybody. He's not big, doesn't have hundreds of teeth, and isn't even weird. So one day he comes up with an idea: He would find the most scaredy-cat kid in the whole world…and scare the tuna salad out of him! After much research, he chooses Sam, sneaks up on him, and [gives] it all he [has]. When the boy cries, Leonardo is convinced that he is a success. But Sam proceeds to recite a litany of wrongs that actually brought on his tears: My mean big brother stole my action figure right out of my hands…, and on and on. Leonardo makes a decision that is sure to surprise and delight readers. Willems's familiar cartoon drawings work hand in glove with the brief text to tell this perfectly paced story. It is printed on pastel grounds in large, fancy letters that change color for emphasis. Sam's list of woes marches across a spread. Leonardo, a small greenish-beige creature with tiny horns; blue eyes; and pink nose, hands, and feet, first appears in a lower right-hand corner looking dejected, but when he makes his momentous decision, his circular head fills two pages. His antics to produce a scare will have youngsters laughing, while the asterisk next to the number of monster Tony's teeth (*note: not all teeth shown) will have grown-ups chuckling, too. A surefire hit.–Marianne Saccardi, Norwalk Community College, CT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-K. "Your Pal, Mo Willems," as the cover reads, offers a simple message-driven story, elevated by a smart, striking design. Leonardo is supposed to be a terrible monster, but he's just terrible at his monsterly craft. Small, with big blue eyes, a blue tongue, and a furry body, Leonardo looks like a tiny, unassuming brother of a Wild Thing. He gets an idea: find the most "scaredy-cat kid" in the world and "scare the tuna salad" out of him. He finds Sam, who seems an easy mark and bursts into tears. But on a clever double-page spread, Willems lists the real reasons Sam is crying, starting with "My mean big brother stole the action figure out of my hands" and ending with a bird's pooping on Sam's head. After thinking it over, Leonardo decides to move from terrible monster to wonderful friend. This oversize book uses thick paper in the colors of a desert sunset. Sam and Leonardo take up very little room on the large pages; the old-fashioned lettering dominates the expanse of color. A winner for story hours, with plenty of discussion possibilities. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hyperion Books for Children; First Edition (September 1, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 48 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0786852941
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0786852949
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 2 - 5 years, from customers
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ AD560L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - Kindergarten
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.21 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.3 x 0.42 x 12.82 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 848 ratings

About the author

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Mo Willems

Mo Willems

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Mo Willems (born February 11, 1968) is an American writer, animator, and creator of children's books.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
4.9 out of 5
848 global ratings
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Top reviews from the United States

Linda S. Mai
5.0 out of 5 stars Such a creative, fun book.
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2022
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Kids and adults alike will love this book. Mo Willems has funny illustrations and a story that keeps you reading. (I love the twist at the end)
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Mike
5.0 out of 5 stars poor leonardo
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2006
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(I have to write reviews for a class I'm in so here's mine for this book):

Poor Leonardo is terrible at being a monster. He doesn't have 1,642 teeth like Tony. He isn't big like Eleanor. And he isn't `just plain weird' like Hector. Despite his best efforts, Leonardo cannot scare anyone and it makes him very sad. Hope returns to Leonardo after he comes up with the idea of trying to scare the most scaredy-cat kid in the whole world, Sam. However, Sam has other things on his mind and after his latest failed attempt, Leonardo makes a big decision that will impact his monster-ness. The drawings in Mo Willems' simply-illustrated picture book do wonders to effect the mood and emotion of the characters and the feel of the story. Though each page contains a simple line of text, the pictures tell the real story. The use of space and perspective allows the audience to feel as small and defeated as Leonardo as he struggles through all of his failed attempts at being ferocious. Children will love following Leonardo's attempts at being scary and adults will root for Leonardo and appreciate his final decision. The book is said to be for audiences `as young as 3 and as old as 36' but the feel created by Willems' gentle illustrations and simple text will guarantee to adore audiences well into their golden years.
11 people found this helpful
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Betsey Trotwood
5.0 out of 5 stars On Top 10 List of Favorite Picture Books
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2014
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My kids love most every book by the incredible Mo Willems, but this one is by far our favorite. I discovered it a few years ago, when my daughter's preschool teacher read it to the class on one of my "parent aide" days. Since then, I've not only purchased a copy for home, but many to give as gifts. It's a funny, engaging and finally sweet story about being kind and a friend rather than being scary or bullyish. It's very large in size, which makes it wonderful for kids to explore the details of all the funny, wonderful illustrations. It makes a wonderful gift for a girl or boy.
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Sister-Mom
5.0 out of 5 stars We Love Leonardo!
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2017
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Mo Willems books are fantastic. I am a "SMART Reader" volunteer in an Oregon elementary school and hands down Gerald and Piggie books are the most popular books the children will pick. I have ordered my own to have at home for my own special needs grandson who learned to read thanks to Gerald and Piggie. All of us volunteers to role playing with the books...and then I discovered LEONARD the TERRIBLE MONSTER...this is the new favorite here at home and my kids at school love this one now too.
Thank you so much for what you do, you have made a difference in the lives of about 30 kids in one elementary school in Oregon and we all LOVE, LOVE, LOVE LEONARDO!
6 people found this helpful
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Jennifer Anderson
5.0 out of 5 stars Touching children's story about true friendship
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2010
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Mo Willems is one of the great children's authors or our time. Don't be thrown off by the title, Leonardo the Terrible Monster is a sweet story about friendship with a twist.

When Leonardo (a monster) can't scare anyone, he sets out to find a scardy-cat kid. He finds Sam. However, Leonardo discovers that maybe being a scary monster isn't what will make him happy and that being a friend might just be more satisfying. With it's silly illustrations and funny text, it captivates both children and parents alike.

We recieved this book as a gift for my then, 3 year old son. We loved it so much that we've since,bought it twice as a gift for two other children in our life.

Our family highly reccommends this book - you will not be dissapointed!
2 people found this helpful
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Maggie Whitney
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story!
Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2022
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This was a favorite of my kids- we borrowed it from the library regularly. I gifted it to my nieces and nephews, and they love it too! Like most Mo Willems books, great for young readers who have built some skills but are getting ready for more of a challenge on some pages.
2 people found this helpful
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M. D. Eisenberg
5.0 out of 5 stars Why I buy the book LEONARDO THE TERRIBLE MONSTOR
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2019
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I loved the creativity of this book and the humor while talking about important things like success in one's efforts and friendship. Every time I learn on FB the a former student of mine has had a baby. I order LEONARDO THE TERRIBLE MONSTER from Amazon and send it as a gift to the baby. I state that the baby will need to wait a bit to enjoy it, but not really too long.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Heck yeah!
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2012
Verified Purchase
My two year old is in love with "Nardo." Incidentally, my kid's name is Sam, so that makes this book that much cooler (the little boy in it is also named Sam). We keep this book on our "korch" (the sun room), and we read it every day at dinner time.

I had no idea at two that my kid would suddenly start getting scared of stuff (spider webs, bugs, etc). However, happily, he adores monsters. I thought he would like Leonardo, since he loves the "friendy" monsters in Monsters, Inc and in Where the Wild Things Are. He loves pretending to be a monster, because he feels brave and fierce. This book teaches that monsters can be those things -- and they can be great friends too. It's so wonderful to see him get so excited when Leonardo gives Sam a hug.

I love the sweet nature of this book, and I love the ridiculous illustrations. If you're considering buying this, you should. I adore it. I'm on here to buy some more Mo Willems books right now.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!
Reviewed in Canada on February 13, 2018
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Adorable book!
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MM
5.0 out of 5 stars A very engaging read aloud, even my 1 year old likes it.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 20, 2017
Verified Purchase
A very engaging read aloud, even my 1 year old likes it. So when I was reading the book when I got to the point where the little boy had a rant; that was very funny: typical Mo Willems. I agree that it's a bit hard to read but it's actually so funny that you'd love it once you have practiced it.
And at the end of one page where Tony was shown with his many teeth there was a footnote that stated: not all teeth shown. This was funny too.
The illustrations are very good with detailed expressions.
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nikki
5.0 out of 5 stars My Toddler's Favourite Book
Reviewed in Australia on June 11, 2020
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I remembered this book fondly from my time as a nanny, so when I saw it on Amazon I thought I would give it a go for my 2 year old. He loves it so much, he now has it memorised and 'reads' it to us at night. I also love that he tells us when he 'scared the tuna salad' out of someone. Would highly recommend, it's a cute story with engaging artwork and Mo Willem's unique humour that's sure to be a favourite for a long time.
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Ay_Oh_
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on October 17, 2015
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So cute!
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GlastoSoph
4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely story, minimal text
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 22, 2020
Verified Purchase
Lovely story, with minimal text, about acceptance of being different and friendship. My 3 and 5 year old both enjoy it and it makes them laugh when we do funny voices and noises when reading it.
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