Leo and the Smile That Stayed (Paperback)

Paperback. Some stories begin with a scar. The best ones never end there.Leo can make the whole class laugh before he even reaches the punchline. He can save three wobbly penalties in a row. He can build Lego machines that look like they belong on another planet. But when his teacher opens a battered old suitcase and asks everyone to share "My Story So Far," Leo's finger finds the tiny scar beneath his nose, the one left behind by his cleft lip, and his heart sinks. Because this is the one story he has spent his whole life trying to hide.Then everything starts to change. An old blue photo album reveals something Leo has never noticed before. A hand mirror holds a secret from when he was four. And in the park, one very small boy shows him just how powerful an ordinary smile can be. By the time a shy girl named Grace walks into the school exhibition, Leo is about to discover the truth that will change both their lives: a scar is something you have. It is never who you are.Funny, warm and quietly unforgettable, this is a story for children aged 7 to 10 who have ever felt different, and most of all for children growing up with a cleft lip and palate, whose smiles have travelled the furthest of all. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.…