Leo and the Tough Loss
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Book Overview
Losing a game can feel intense-especially for children with ADHD, whose emotions and body sensations often come on fast and strong.
In this comforting picture book, readers meet Leo, a baby lion who loves to win and tries very hard at jungle school. When Leo doesn't win a game, his chest feels hot, his face feels tight, and the disappointment feels overwhelming. These reactions aren't a failure-they're signs of a nervous system still learning how to recover.
With the calm support of Old Turtle, Leo learns simple, practical emotional regulation tools designed to help children with ADHD and other neurodivergent experiences. By pausing his body, naming his feelings, and using kind self-talk, Leo discovers that big emotions can soften without being pushed away.
Written in gentle, present-tense language and supported by soothing illustrations, this story normalizes emotional intensity while teaching children how to move through disappointment safely and with compassion. It reinforces that losing does not define a child's worth-and that learning happens even when things don't go as planned.
Ideal for children with ADHD, big emotions, and developing emotional regulation skills, this book is a supportive resource for families, classrooms, and therapeutic settings focused on social-emotional learning, resilience, and self-confidence.
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