  | Leyla Author: Bernstein, Galia | |
| Price: $21.88 | ||
Summary:
Tired of her large, noisy, baboon family, young Leyla runs away and meets a lizard who teaches her to sit alone, be quiet, and do nothing.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: LG Reading Level: 2.20 Points: .5 Quiz: 503794 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (-) (04/15/19)
School Library Journal (05/01/19)
Booklist (05/01/19)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 05/01/2019 This comical story tells of one young baboon girl who craves a little space and solitude, both of which are hard to find as one of many hamadryas baboons who, according to an author’s note at the end, live on the shores of the Red Sea in “loud, large, and loving families called troops.” Little Leyla is always being fussed over and groomed by her mother, father, 9 aunts, and 23 cousins. Unable to escape the attention and constant noise, she runs off by herself and encounters a wise-looking lizard who tells her that he’s busy doing nothing. The lizard teaches Leyla how to sit quietly and clear her mind. Adult readers will understand that this is a lesson on meditation, and youngsters will learn that, even if they’re the quiet one in a boisterous group, a little downtime can do wonders. Hand-painted textures applied to digital art make the illustrations pop in this funny and wisdom-filled book. - Copyright 2019 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 05/01/2019 PreS-Gr 2—Leyla's large baboon family is "always busy, always fussy, always noisy." Overwhelmed, she runs away, stopping only when she hurts herself on some sharp rocks. A nearby lizard isn't interested in making Leyla feel better; he's too busy doing nothing, which is just what young Leyla needs. After a short but effective meditation lesson, Leyla returns home to her family and their loving ministrations. Reflecting both the anxiety perpetuated by our culture's busyness and a toddler's developmental need for independence, Bernstein's spare narrative and adorable muted earth tone palette offer a warm and familiar story. Pair with Jacob Grant's Through with the Zoo for some good old Venn diagram comparisons, or with Molly Bang's When Sophie Gets Angry to talk about using space and silence for self-care. VERDICT A recommended read-aloud for storytime or one-on-one sharing.—Lisa Lehmuller, Paul Cuffee Maritime Charter School, Providence - Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
