Leo, Rise and Shine!

A toddler goes through his morning routine with his father and mother: play, breakfast, toothbrushing, dressing, dancing, and heading out for an adventure. Jubilant, soft-textured illustrations depict an easy warmth and bubbly energy shared by all three Black family members. The cheery sequence of activities may serve as a valuable tool for young readers learning to internalize a predictable morning routine.

VERDICT A bright and bouncy addition to the shelves.

—School Library Journal


Leo, a young brown-skinned boy, awakes from a night of rest, ready to greet the day.

The sun greets Leo (whom readers may recognize from other titles in the series devoted to his daily life), still in bed as his caregiver opens the curtains of the window near his crib. Developmentally appropriate language playfully captures the movement of toddlers, making this exploration of a happy child’s morning appropriate for group read-alouds and lap reads. Leo “shakes awake” with a box of cereal and goes through his morning routine: munching on “crunchies,” sipping “zingy juice,” and brushing his teeth in the mirror alongside a parent shaving. Finally dressed, he is “wide awake and ready for anything.” The short, descriptive sentences, which appear on most pages, describe the world as experienced by toddlers: “The lemon-yellow sun sparkles in”; “Leo has had a big sleep”; he “shimmies into sharp shorts.” Hearson’s gentle illustrations, which use a soft palette of colors dominated by blues and greens, evoke feelings of harmony and depict a trusting and loving relationship between Leo and his caregivers, who appear to be Black. What a joyful morning! 

Reliable storytelling and comforting images make this latest series installment another charmer. 

—Kirkus Reviews