Barnett and Robinson celebrate play, as Jane breaks gender roles and includes Leo among her imaginary friends. A lifeless story about the ghost of a child who gets evicted from his house and then confused for an imaginary friend. At it's heart, this tale is an affirmation of friendship and acceptance, with Leo learning that a true friend will love him as he is.

Last year, after our yearly author visit, I was driving through downtown Montgomery to have dinner with my wife (in the passenger seat) and Mac Barnett ( in the back seat). It taps into underlying melancholy of Leo’s situation: Leo, of course, is a ghost who haunts a house until its new inhabitants make it clear that they have no interest in sharing the space with him. So the ghost boy makes the sad decision to relocate, and finds—and then saves—a new friend in the process. Blue pages from beginning to end create almost an aged look to the pages at times and a glow on others.

I highly recommend this book if you are feeling slightly down in some way, as it will definitley make you feel joyful feelings. Leo: A Ghost Story is a 2015 children's book written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Christian Robinson.

It emphasizes that African-Americn children (that all kinds of children) lead rich imaginative lives, without drawing undue attention to the lesson. An engaging picture-book from author Mac Barnett, whose many amusing tales include Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem and Oh No! But luckily, there's Jane, our plucky heroine, who can see Leo when others can't and believes him to be her imaginary friend. Christian Robinson's decision to use papercutting and coloured pencil to illustrate this book, might have created a flat looking image created by just any old illustrator, but the way he wonkily and boldly cuts shapes and draws around them, makes the illustration as engaging as the text. Mac Barnett and Christian Robinson create such a unique little story and empathetic characters, that I feel like children would get heavily invested in this picture book as well, and outwardly emote in reaction to the story as it goes.It’s a warm and wise story about acceptance trumping difference—including that between life and death.

This book is charming and has a story structure that keeps you guessing what is going to happen and what the resolution will be ; not one of those one, two, three punch kids stories. I’ve seen other reviewers recommending the book for ages 4-6, but I think kids much older than that will love it. Your reviews are noticed and appreciated, and, even though I keep up with kids lit, it's unlikely I would have found this on my own! The best element of this story is the illustration of the little boy ghost Leo, done often on vellum that overlaps other things and characters.

This tender, wistful tale of friendship, innocence, and belief is an absolute joy—simply and movingly told, with quirky illustrations that tug at the heartstrings even as they raise a smile. A heartening parable of seeing through difference, meeting the unfamiliar with unflinching friendliness, and dignifying the reality of the other. There are so many subtle, positive messages in this story, creeping into the brain through the eyes. Leo the ghost lived a life of quiet solitude in an abandoned house on the edge of the city, until the day a new family moved in. The lovely message of friendship in all forms is timeless and Barnett’s charm shines through each sentence.

My favorite illustration is from the part of the story when Leo has just found his first real friend. I read it together with two other titles featuring imaginary friends - The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend and Imaginary Fred - and was struck by the fact that all three books address the longing for connection, in their diverse ways.That is how he meets Jane, a kid with a tremendous imagination and an open position for a worthy knight. D’une plume tout en fine sensibilité, Mac Barnett sait tricoter une adorable vérité entre les oeillères du réel.