New Shoes for Leo- Zapatos para Leo

Written by Lauren Agra Deedy

Illustrated by Susan Gal 

*Publisher: Scholastic Press

*Print length: 40 pages

*ISBN-10: 338770217

*ISBN-13: 978-1338770216

*Reading age: 4 - 8 years

*Grade level: Preschool - 3

Debut Cuban-American author Lauren Agra Deedy and award-winning artist Susan Gal join forces in this charming, heartfelt picture book story about an immigrant family―and their love and caring for family they left behind.

William's Mami and his Tía Ana are busy packing a big box of food, medicine, and clothing to mail to their family living in Cuba.

But something important is missing.

They have no zapatos, no shoes, to send Cousin Leo!

"Which cousin is Leo?" William asks.

Tía Ana answers him with a thin paper tracing of Leo’s footprint. She nudges him out the door to find someone in the family with spare shoes in Leo’s size. But finding shoes for Leo is not as easy as it seems.

With warmth and tenderness, Lauren Agra Deedy and Susan Gal have created a rich, colorful story of a tight-knit family ― and the love that grows as they care for those living far away.

“[A] jubilant, dialogue-driven story. . . . The bold strokes, scribbles, and textures of Gal’s exuberant pencil, ink, and watercolor illustrations amplify Deedy’s energetic prose.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

Zapatos para Leo 

La autora cubano estadounidense Lauren Agra Deedy y la galardonada artista Susan Gal unen fuerzas en este encantador y sincero libro ilustrado sobre una familia de inmigrantes, y su amor y cuidado por la familia que dejaron atrás.

La mamá de William y su tía Ana están ocupadas empacando una gran caja de comida, medicinas y ropa para enviar por correo a su familia que vive en Cuba. Pero falta algo importante. ¡No tienen zapatos para el primo Leo! Pero encontrar zapatos para Leo no es tan fácil como parece. Lauren Agra Deedy y Susan Gal, con calidez y ternura, han creado una historia rica y colorida sobre una familia muy unida y el amor que crece mientras se preocupan por quienes viven lejos.

Lauren Agra Deedy graduated from Emory University before receiving her MPhil in Literatures of the Americas from Trinity College Dublin. Like William in the story, Lauren is the child and grandchild of refugees, and grew up helping them make care packages for family still living in communist Cuba. New Shoes for Leo is her picture book debut. Lauren lives with her husband and family in Atlanta, Georgia.

Susan Gal holds a BFA from Art Center College of Design and has illustrated several books for children, including Abracadabra, It's Spring! and Here Is the World: A Year of Jewish Holidays. She has also been a poster artist, a calendar illustrator, and an animator for Disney.