Leila and the Voice

Leila is a little girl who must face the mad cloud that grows and grows. Leila runs until she is lost and alone in a very dark space. Soon, however, she hears a quiet voice. Leila asks if the voice needs help, but the voice is too frightened to speak, so Leila works to free the voice. Then, they sit, and Leila talks about the mad cloud. As they walk in the dreary jungle, the voice expresses fears, and Leila finds solutions. Eventually, Leila battles the cloud by turning the voice into a sea serpent. Still, the cloud will not stop, and Leila becomes too afraid to speak. Now, the voice reminds Leila she is mighty. Together, they fly into the wind, and Leila promises to never forget the voice.

Shahrzad Maydani has written a deeply meaningful book about confronting one’s fears, finding one’s voice, and realizing that we are, in fact, mighty. The illustrations beautifully capture the intense energy of the mad cloud and the darkness that seems to descend everywhere when we feel afraid and alone. In a world that can be frightening even to adults, this is a beautiful book to help young readers navigate their fears.