I am not a parent, so I cannot speak to the joys and worries of parenting. As a teacher, though, I loved that "Eureka!" moment for kids. Sometimes that moment was when they realized they could read a book they thought they could not read. Sometimes it was working through a difficult math problem. The "Eureka" moments are what teachers live for. Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus, illustrated by Jose Aruego, shows how frustrating it can be for parents and kids when that "Eureka" moment does not come or takes a long time.
Leo is a young tiger in school who can't do anything right. Leo doesn't read or write, he eats sloppily, and he doesn't talk. Leo's father worries about this A LOT, but Leo's mom said that Leo is a late bloomer and that there is nothing wrong with Leo. Leo's dad stalks through the next few pages, hiding and watching for signs of Leo blooming. He even "watches TV" while actually watching Leo. Time passed, winter and spring came, and Leo didn't bloom. The other animals are shown doing interesting things that Leo cannot do yet. Leo's father did stop watching, but Leo didn't bloom.
Finally, Leo BLOOMED! He could do all of the things the other animals did, and he could do them really well. He is shown with lots of books, writing beautifully, and with amazing drawings. He even eats neatly. He also started speaking, telling his parents, "I made it!" This part of the book never fails to get me to tear up.
I am sure that you do not need me to explain why this is such a great book for kids, but I will! The word "yet" is a magical word. Students need to hear that if they can't do something, it's just that they can't do it yet. They WILL be able to do it. That message is so important to keep kids motivated. Leo is a great example. It took him a long time to do what the other kids could do, but he DID IT! Keeping that message alive is so important for kids.