Lola Reads to Leo
Anna McQuinn, author
Anna McQuinn has worked in children's books for more than twenty-five years as an editor, publisher, and writer. She is the author of more than twenty books for children, including Lola at the Library, Lola Loves Stories, Lola Reads to Leo, The Sleep Sheep (Scholastic), and If You're Happy and You Know It! (Barefoot). Anna leads groups like Leo's at her local library.
Read more about Anna McQuinn.
Rosalind Beardshaw, illustrator
Rosalind Beardshaw loved drawing from early childhood and from a young age decided she wanted to become an illustrator. She studied at Manchester Polytechnic where she earned a degree in illustration.
Read more about Rosalind Beardshaw.
- Bank Street College of Education's Best Children's Books of the Year
Publishers Weekly
In her third book, Lola has a new baby brother. Lola learns how to help take care of Leo--and how better than by sharing her love of reading? "Lola holds her best bear story while Mommy feeds him." Being a big sister means new responsibilities, and everyone is busy, but Lola knows that her parents still have time for her. Beardshaw's smudgy acrylic depictions of quiet family moments should reassure readers who are anxious about the arrival of a new sibling.
School Library Journal
Lola, who loves libraries, now "reads" to her new brother. She steps up to her big-sister role by cheering Leo up with a story when he is crying, telling him a duck tale at bath time, and sharing a book while their mother is breastfeeding. The simple text reflects Lola's point of view, and acrylic paintings bring homey details to warm youngsters' hearts. Lola mimics Mom's pregnancy belly, joins Dad in welcoming Leo at the hospital, and sweetly hovers over the baby's daily rituals. This gentle celebration of family promotes reading and the pleasures of being an older sibling.
Kirkus Reviews
Bibliophile Lola has no trouble adjusting to her role as big sister in this warm slice-of-life story about a little girl welcoming her new baby brother.
While many new baby books are dominated by an older sibling's jealousy over an attention-hogging infant, Lola delights in Leo's arrival. Prior titles about this book-loving child (Lola Loves Stories and Lola at the Library) set the stage for how she engages with Leo--through books, of course. She brings him a "soft book for his crib" when she meets him at the hospital, reads to him when he cries "to cheer him up" and shares theme-appropriate titles during diaper changes (a potty book), baths (a duck story) and naptime (a sleepy story). Although busy adjusting to parenting two children instead of just one, Lola's mother and father reward her with a story at the end of each day since she is "the best big sister of all." It's refreshing to see this time-worn theme addressed in a story that just happens to be about a family comprised of people of color, as warm, acrylic portraits depict mother, father, Lola and Leo as a book-loving, close-knit joyful crew.
A welcome edition about a welcome addition.
Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-58089-403-6
Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-58089-404-3
E-book
ISBN: 978-1-60734-553-4 EPUB
ISBN: 978-1-60734-442-1 PDF
Ages: 2-5
Page count: 28
8 3/8 x 9 5/8