Leonardo, the Terrible Monster
Leonardo wants to be a scary monster, but he's actually quite bad at it. His attempt to find a child to frighten leads to an unexpected discovery about what it means to be a friend.
Leonardo, the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems is estimated to take about 4 minutes to read aloud (263 words, about 1 sentence a page), and it lands best with children aged 3-6.
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- Estimated read-aloud time
- about 4 minutesEstimated read-aloud time
- Word count
- 263Counted words
- Sentences per page
- 1Sentence per page
- Re-read tolerance
- 4/5repeat friendly
- Vocabulary level
- 2/5everyday words
- Best for
- Ages 3-6Our editorial fit
Our review
Mo Willems uses a great deal of white space to let the humor land, making it a perfect read-aloud for kids who enjoy funny, slightly absurd situations. The subversion of the "monster" trope is very clever.
It’s a great way to talk about failure and how friendship can be more rewarding than being "tough" or scary. Highly engaging for preschool-aged readers.
Themes
- monsters
- failing
- friendship
- crying
- humour
Books like Leonardo, the Terrible Monster
Matched by refrain, density, length, and listener—not just the subject.
There Is a Bird on Your Head!about 3.5 minutes estimated · 5/5 re-read
Go Away, Big Green Monster!about 3 minutes estimated · 5/5 re-read
The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friendabout 4.5 minutes estimated · 4/5 re-read
Mother Bruceabout 6 minutes estimated · 5/5 re-read
Stick and Stoneabout 3 minutes estimated · 4/5 re-read
Questions parents ask
How long does it take to read Leonardo, the Terrible Monster aloud?
About 4 minutes at an unhurried pace, including a standard allowance for page turns, pictures and participation, from a word count of 263. Stopping for a longer conversation on every page will add more time.
What age is Leonardo, the Terrible Monster actually for?
Ages 3-6 in our testing, which is narrower than the publisher's range. With 1 sentence a page and vocabulary at 2 out of 5, it asks for that much attention span and no more.
Does Leonardo, the Terrible Monster survive being read on repeat?
Yes. It survives a fortnight of nightly repeats, which is the real test.
Is Leonardo, the Terrible Monster a good book for a child who will not sit still?
It helps that it has a refrain a child can join in with. Those three features are what keep a wriggling toddler listening, far more than the subject matter does.
Will my child memorise Leonardo, the Terrible Monster?
Probably, and fast. The book leans on a repeated refrain, and at 4 out of 5 for re-read tolerance it survives the nightly repeats that get a book memorised. Expect your child to chant the pattern back before they can actually read.
Can a beginning reader read Leonardo, the Terrible Monster on their own?
It is closer than most picture books. With 1 sentence a page and plain vocabulary (2 out of 5), a confident early reader can attempt it, though it is written to be read aloud first.
What themes does Leonardo, the Terrible Monster cover?
We tag it with monsters, failing, friendship, crying and humour. Those are the threads that actually run through the book, not just the ones on the cover, which is how it earns its place on our themed lists rather than a keyword match.
Lists Leonardo, the Terrible Monster is on
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