The Legend of Leo: A Dandy-Lion Tale – A Picture Book Postcard

Today’s Picture Book Postcard is from Leo the Dandy-Lion of The Legend of Leo: A Dandy-Lion Tale.

Meet Leo: part dandelion, part lion, ALL ego. This laugh-out-loud read-aloud proves even a weed can have delusions of grandeur. ROAR!

The Legend of Leo: A Dandy-Lion Tale

Author: Monica Acker

Illustrator: Mikel Valverde

Publisher: Marble Press

Publication Date: June 30, 2026

In 2020, when going for a walk was our most exciting outing, my them 4 year-old picked a dandelion and asked when it would become a real lion. That simple question got my brain churning and the first draft quickly followed.

– Author Monica Acker

About Author Monica Acker

Monica Acker spends most mornings taming her mane of curly hair. She is an author and educator and, while not the king of all creatures, she is the master of Scrabble and the queen of cookie eating. Monica lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three children.

Find out more about this author at www.monicaacker.com.

About Illustrator Mikel Valverde

Mikel Valverde is an author and illustrator. He works at a drawing table that someone rescued from an old factory before it was shut down. He has published numerous books, some translated into other languages, and even has received awards for his work. When he’s not at the park with his daughter, he usually takes walks in the hills near his home. He lives very close to the coast, in the Basque Country, Spain.

Find out more about this illustrator at www.mikelvalverde.com.

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