- Hardcover
- Used
Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.World of Books Inc
AbeBooks seller since March 23, 2026
Condition: Used - Good
£ 6.61
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
For fans of The Language of Flowers, a sparkling, big-hearted, page-turning debut set in the 1970s about a young black boy s quest to reunite with his beloved white half-brother after they are separated in foster care. Leon loves chocolate bars, Saturday morning cartoons, and his beautiful, golden-haired baby brother. When Jake is born, Leon pokes his head in the crib and says, I m your brother. Big brother. My. Name. Is. Leon. I am eight and three quarters. I am a boy. Jake will play with no one but Leon, and Leon is determined to save him from any pain and earn that sparkling baby laugh every chance he can. But Leon isn t in control of this world where adults say one thing and mean another, and try as he might he can t protect his little family from everything. When their mother falls victim to her inner demons, strangers suddenly take Jake away; after all, a white baby is easy to adopt, while a half-black nine-year-old faces a less certain fate. Vowing to get Jake back by any means necessary, Leon s own journey on his brand-new BMX bike will carry him through the lives of a doting but ailing foster mother, Maureen; Maureen s cranky and hilarious sister, Sylvia; a social worker Leon knows only as The Zebra; and a colorful community of local gardeners and West Indian political activists. Told through the perspective of nine-year-old Leon, too innocent to entirely understand what has happened to him and baby Jake, but determined to do what he can to make things right, he stubbornly, endearingly struggles his way through a system much larger than he can tackle on his own. My Name Is Leon is a vivid, gorgeous, and uplifting story about the power of love, the unbreakable bond between brothers, and the truth about what, in the end, ultimately makes a family.…
Seller Inventory # CIN1501117459G
- Title
- My Name Is Leon
- Author
- Kit De Waal
- Publisher
- Simon & Schuster
- Publication year
- 2016
- Condition
- Good
- Binding
- Hardback
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 1501117459
- ISBN 13
- 9781501117459
Leon loves chocolate bars, Saturday morning cartoons, and his beautiful, golden-haired baby brother. When Jake is born, Leon pokes his head in the crib and says, “I’m your brother. Big brother. My. Name. Is. Leon. I am eight and three quarters. I am a boy.” Jake will play with no one but Leon, and Leon is determined to save him from any pain and earn that sparkling baby laugh every chance he can.
But Leon isn’t in control of this world where adults say one thing and mean another, and try as he might he can’t protect his little family from everything. When their mother falls victim to her inner demons, strangers suddenly take Jake away; after all, a white baby is easy to adopt, while a half-black nine-year-old faces a less certain fate. Vowing to get Jake back by any means necessary, Leon’s own journey—on his brand-new BMX bike—will carry him through the lives of a doting but ailing foster mother, Maureen; Maureen’s cranky and hilarious sister, Sylvia; a social worker Leon knows only as “The Zebra”; and a colorful community of local gardeners and West Indian political activists.
Told through the perspective of nine-year-old Leon, too innocent to entirely understand what has happened to him and baby Jake, but determined to do what he can to make things right, he stubbornly, endearingly struggles his way through a system much larger than he can tackle on his own. My Name Is Leon is a vivid, gorgeous, and uplifting story about the power of love, the unbreakable bond between brothers, and the truth about what, in the end, ultimately makes a family.
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review
"De Waal's debut novel is exemplary in its portrayal of tender Leon, and his child's worldview of tragic events adds pathos to trying circumstances. . . . This moving exploration of race and the foster-care system offers precious insight into the mind of a child forced to grow up well before his time." --Booklist
"Taut, emotionally intense, and wholly believable, this beautiful and uplifting debut gives readers a hero to champion." --Kirkus Reviews
"Kit de Waal has already garnered praise and attention for her short fiction. She worked in family and criminal law for many years, and wrote training manuals on fostering and adoption; she also grew up with a mother who fostered children. This helps explain the level of insight and authenticity evident in My Name Is Leon, her moving and thought-provoking debut novel. . . De Waal skilfully brings her adult characters to life through the perspective of her child protagonist and she bestows great compassion on all her protagonists." --The Guardian
"This is the unforgettable story of a boy struggling to belong, and the author captures both his mindset and the period impeccably. Heartbreaking and uplifting--just read it." --The Daily Mail
"Leon is pure goodwill in a wicked world, and he won't leave you when you put this unique book down. Authentic and beautiful, urgent and honest, this novel does what only the best do: it quietly makes room in your heart. At the end of the story I couldn't bear to close the book on Leon. I felt I was abandoning him. I wanted to talk about it straightaway with someone else who'd read it, and I know a great many readers will feel the same." --Chris Cleave, bestselling author of Little Bee
"There is something about small boys and mothers that really tugs at me. I found it tender and heart-breaking." --Rachel Joyce, bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
"An important book and a beautiful story told with compassion, urgency, and wit. My Name Is Leon is in many ways a tribute to kindness: to those who need it most, and those who distribute it with least reward. Leon and Maureen are heroes, and I fell in love with them instantly." --Stephen Kelman, author of the Man Booker Prize-shortlisted Pigeon English
"Please read this book because Leon needs you as a champion, as does every Leon out there now. This is a superbly written book that will break your heart but also I hope spur you to action." --Heidi Durrow, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell from the Sky
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
World of Books Inc
Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
AbeBooks seller since March 23, 2026
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| Item | 4 to 12 business days | 3 to 6 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 0.00 | £ 8.29 |
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Founded in 2002, World of Books is a leading online destination for buying and selling both preloved and new books, committed to making sustainable reading accessible to all. With a mission to help people read more and waste less, World of Books offers a huge range of affordable, high-quality books — giving both new and preloved titles a second life. The company also operates World of Books – Sell Your Books, an easy-to-use platform that allows customers to trade in unwanted books for cash, helping to keep books in circulation while promoting sustainability. As a Certified B Corp, World of Books is driven by a vision to become the world’s largest and most sustainable dedicated online bookstore. The company measures its success through the positive environmental impact it creates, the value it provides to customers, and its ability to operate profitably while supporting its sustainable mission …
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