SO FEW OF ME

Mop-topped man-boy Leo has so much to do that even making a list doesn’t help. When his double shows up at the door, Leo thinks his problems are solved. But the number of jobs only increases as the number of new Leos multiplies. While the moralistic ending is a bit of a letdown, there’s a lot to like here. Beginning with the aquamarine cover that resembles a notebook and the lined endpapers that look like composition paper, the book design is intriguing and inviting. Reynolds’s adept handling of line is on display in the lively, color-drenched drawings of Leo and his pets. Paired with minimalist text, these spare portraits glow amid backgrounds that are softly colored yet clearly defined and set against crisp, white space. While there’s an adult sensibility at work, the gentle humor and counting element tip the scales towards a child audience. (Picture book. 5-8)