Leo’s Dogs Review For MCBD 2025

posted on January 15, 2025 by Eve Panzer

Leo’s Dogs
Written by Ellen Skowronski
Illustrated by Maria Russo
Published by Language Lizard

Leo has recently immigrated to the United States from his native country, where he has left behind family, friends, and his beloved dog. Although he likes his new home, he does not know English. This language barrier makes it difficult to adjust and make new friends.

When his class visits an animal shelter, Leo immediately relates to the patient, nonjudgemental dogs longing for a welcoming new home. Here, he can practice his English reading skills without anxiety. Leo learns he can volunteer at the animal shelter, where he continues to give the dogs hope for a loving family and improve his English.
Most children have not experienced being uprooted from the only country they have ever known. They have never had to leave family, friends, and pets, learn a new language, and adjust to new customs. But this is the experience of immigrants coming to our country every day.

Children need to understand immigrants’ challenges and develop empathy for them. Picture books are an excellent tool for achieving these goals. With a relatable story and child-friendly diverse illustrations, that is precisely what Leo’s Dogs successfully accomplishes. In addition, the book also urges readers who want a new pet to adopt from a shelter because: “Not only will you give a second chance to a deserving animal, but you will be gaining a new best friend!”

Thanks to Language Lizard for the free PDF of Leo’s Dogs to review for MCBD 2025. Language Lizard is a women-owned independent publisher and bookseller offering bilingual books in more than 60 languages.

The free resources page for Leo’s Dogs includes a Lesson plan: click here, Maze activity: click here, Word find activity: click here, Matching activity: click here, Dog puzzle activity: click here, and Spot it activity: click here.

Audio files for Leo’s Dogs English audio file: click here and Spanish audio file: click here

Link for Leo’s Dogs video: Click here

Leo’s Dogs is available in the following bilingual editions: Dari, Haitian Creole, Pashto, Russian, Spanish, and Ukrainian, with more languages coming soon.

“As a multilingual, first-generation American who worked in the US and Asia, Anneke Vanmarcke Forzani was inspired to share her love of diverse cultures and languages while supporting literacy among bilingual families. In 2005 she founded Language Lizard to provide “mirror and window” bilingual books in which children could see themselves reflected in the stories and learn about the wider community. She works with a team of similarly minded colleagues who aim to provide the best bilingual books and resources to inspire and educate language learners, support parental involvement in education, and make newcomers feel welcome.”

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