Leo the Late Bloomer
By Robert Kraus, Illustrated by Jose Aruego
Published by Simon & Schuster, Inc., Copyright 1971
ISBN 0-81245383-2
Available at your local Barnes & Noble Bookstores, or order online.

Oftentimes children develop at a different pace then those around them. This can produce a negative self-concept, if not properly nurtured and supported by those around them. Leo the Late Bloomer is a simple tale about being patient and believing in yourself.

Leo, a young tiger, just isn't doing what the other animals his age are doing. He's clumsy and can't read or write. His mother tells his father to be patient and Leo will bloom in his own time. Sure enough, one day much later, Leo blooms and is proud he made it.