Monti and Leo: A Newcomer in Pocketville -- Sylvie Kantorovitz, Hardcover

A charming early reader in graphic form draws on the classic theme of friendship to show that being new--or different--doesn't have to mean being lonely.

Pocketville is a small town, set in its ways, and the arrival of a stranger causes a stir. Monti the mole is stunned one morning to find Leo the lizard hogging his special reading rock. When Monti visits the bakery and the library, he learns that the last cinnamon roll has been purchased, and the book he was waiting for has been checked out. What's a fastidious mole to do? When Monti confronts Leo, the newcomer turns out to be agreeable in the extreme, and friendship is a given. Now to convince the town's cantankerous baker, Ms. Sheep, to stop turning everyone against Leo. Together, Monti and Leo hatch a plot that will have Ms. Sheep singing Leo's praises in no time. This reassuring tale of friendship against the odds from the creator of the graphic memoir Sylvie draws on the author's experiences as an immigrant and will appeal to anyone who has struggled to fit in in a new place.

Author: Sylvie Wickstrom
Publisher: Walker Books
Published: 05/07/2024
Pages: 80
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.30w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9781536222777
Audience: Ages 4-8

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 01/22/2024
Kirkus Reviews 03/01/2024
Horn Book Magazine 03/01/2024 pg. 94
School Library Journal 04/01/2024 pg. 127

About the Author
Sylvie Kantorovitz was born in Casablanca and grew up in France. She is the author-illustrator of many books, including the graphic memoir Sylvie. She lives in New York's Hudson Valley with her partner, author-illustrator Barbara Lehman.