Meet Leo, a young and talented local author whose hand-drawn graphic novel has just been added to CCPL's collection. Follow Leo’s journey as he brings his unique storytelling style to life through captivating illustrations and creativity.
Dav Pilkey. J.K. Rowling. Eric Carle. Jennifer Holm. You can find books by these authors at just about any public library in the country. But there’s only one library where you’ll find books by Leo Lobo and that’s at CCPL!
Leo Lobo is six years old and the author/illustrator of the Mr. Lo series. Titles in the series include “The Adventures of Mr. Lo,” “Mr. Lo Volume II,” and “Billy and Mr. Lo.” The Mr. Lo books are written in comic book style and highlight his many adventures and challenges.
Leo finished drawing and writing the three books by the time he was five years old, and the name of the main character was inspired by his own last name, Lobo. When asked about how Mr. Lo was created, Leo said, “When I was 4, I had a notebook with a yellow cover and that’s when I started making Mr. Lo. Then I stopped, and now I am back to making him.”
Besides wanting to be an author, Leo has other dreams. “I want to be a construction worker, but I want to keep writing books because I like drawing,” he says. In his books, you can see his artistic side reflected in each drawing. His love for tools appears in the third book in the series when he fixes his robot friend Billy.
Leo and his mom talked with the staff at Clover Hill Library about placing his books in the library. “At first we kept them in the staff room for everyone to see, but as we all looked at them we thought...why not contact Collection Management and see about putting them in the collection? When he came in, the smile on his face seeing his books up on the shelf is something I won't forget,” shares Sara Mueller, assistant branch manager at Clover Hill Library when talking about how the idea of displaying Leo’s book became a reality. Mueller also emphasizes the importance of libraries being a place where kids can let their imagination fly, “Libraries aren't just buildings with books, they are places where kids are free to let their imaginations run wild. Where there is no limitation on what they can achieve.”
Leo Lobo saw no limitation on what he could achieve and used his imagination to create Mr. Lo. He encourages kids to read them because it would make him happy. “For other kids to see what someone their own age can accomplish is amazing and it pushes them to reach for things they may not have thought possible,” adds Mueller about the inspiration that Leo will be for other kids.
They’re available for check out at Clover Hill Library or they can be requested through the holds process and sent to another CCPL location for checkout.
