Leo t he Super Cat Wr it t en and Illust r at ed by Br iana Per ez Dedicat ed t o Leo Her zber g
Leo is an amazing super cat that can fix any problem by himself. He can stop a speeding meteor. He can also stop a huge tidal wave by blowing it away with his super breath.
One day when he was looking at the city Leo realized that the city was very polluted. ?Hmm I wonder if it is like this all over the world,? he exclaimed. ?It probably is. I bet I could fix this problem like I fix everything!? Leo tried to fix the pollution by using a giant vacuum cleaner to suck it up, but it didn?t work. After that, he modified the vacuum cleaner so dirty air would come in and fresh air would come out the back, but that didn?t work either. So then he tried to blow it away with his super breath. But, sadly, fail.
That night he went home and talked to his dog Klaus. ?I don?t know how to fix this. I?ve always been able to fix things. Small problems, no biggie. Big problems, my speciality. I don?t know how I can?t get rid of this pollution.? He paused his verbal self-criticism for a moment in the hopes that a solution would form out of the blue. He thought? and he thought? and he thought- until... It didn?t work. ?Oh what is happening to me? I?m talking to a dog. I must have lost my mind. I?ll just go to bed and sleep on it,? he thought, hoping a good night?s sleep with do the trick. He left the room and went upstairs. That?s when his dog Klaus thought of a great solution.
The next day Leo turned on the TV to his favorite morning news show while sitting down to eat his breakfast. ?Yesterday we interviewed the world?s all time favorite super hero, Leo the Super Cat! He told us that he was trying to fix our awful air pollution. That?s a problem that we?d all love to see get fixed, what with our dirty air and all. We haven?t seen him since then, but we are guessing that he has a plan,? exclaimed Laidy, the monkey news reporter. Leo suddenly stopped thinking about how to save the world because he realized that he had spilled the beans, and now everybody knew that he promised to save them. The whole world would expect him, Leo the Super Cat, to save them once again. The problem was this time he wasn?t so sure he was going to be able to save the day. His mind became blank. Heart racing, pulse pounding, his mind bouncing about, Leo, for the first time in his life, didn?t know what to do. Just when his panic was about to get out of control, out of nowhere, Klaus appeared wearing a purple cape and hat, and announced ?Hello Leo, it?s me Klaus.? Leo was stunned. He didn?t know what to think. A moment ago he?d been in a state of terror about not being able to fix the pollution problem that the world faced. Add to that, the fact that he had basically told everyone that he?d solve this seemingly unsolvable problem. But now, here was his pet dog Klaus, speaking to him. ?You might not recognize me in my uniform, but it?s me. I made something to help you with the pollution problem. Come with me.? Since Leo?s mind was so blank, he just followed Klaus while muttering nonsense.
Klaus brought Leo to the bathroom. Leo thought to himself, ?wait, my talking dog is going to fix the world?s pollution problem here in this bathroom? Weird.? Just then, Klaus stopped short of the bathroom. They were standing in the hallway in front of a normal wall. All of a sudden a door that didn?t have a handle and was painted the same color as the wall opened when Klaus touched a hidden button on his hat. Finally after seeing what happened Leo woke up from his blankness. ?Wha wha what are you?? ?Some say I?m a wizard. But that is just because of my outfit. I?m just a really good engineer. I love to tinker and solve all kinds of problems. Now come on no more questions we don?t time... Hee Hee...for that.? Leo wondered why Klaus laughed but he didn?t bother asking. They went down the stairs to a basement Leo didn?t know he had. Klaus evidently had a lot of surprises in him. When they arrived downstairs Leo saw a bunch of funny looking objects. He followed Klaus through the maze of mysterious objects, all stacked up on tables and shelves, until finally they found an object that looked like a train seat. Suddenly Klaus spoke ?Ta da... here is the time machine I built for you. Nice right?? Chuckled klaus ?It cost me an arm and a leg and took all my expertise to build it, so you better like it? said Klaus seriously.Leo didn?t know what to think. He was dumbfounded by his talking engineer dog who? who built him a time machine. ?Why would he build me a time machine?? Leo pondered.
That?s when Klaus explained his great plan. If Leo the Super Cat could, ?go back in time to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and? ? Klaus laid out his plan. It was genius- both simple and complex at the same time. Ending carbon-based pollution at the source, the beginning of the Industrial Revolution by providing the world with renewable energy sources just when humanity became energy obsessed would solve the pollution problem for all time. Leo the Super Cat would save the world yet again, and all would return to normal. Brilliant.
?How do you know that it will work? Have you tested the time machine? Do we know how to give humans back at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution renewable energy in a way that will last?? Asked Leo. His questions were perfect. The answer he got surprised him. ?Well there is a 99.999 percent chance that the mission will be successful with my help, and for you there is a .001 chance that you will succeed alone. I mean, even with all your powers, you?ve proven to be powerless against pollution? So do accept my help? Do you trust my plan?? Klaus responded. ?Um, well what if I take the time machine and go by myself?? Leo hesitated a little while asking the question because Klaus seemed to be the type of dog that meant business. ?Oh will you stop beating around the bush? Just answer the question.? yelled Klaus, frustrated as time was of the essence. ?Okay I accept your help! You should absolutely join me,? responded Leo quickly. ?I can?t believe I?ve been barking up the wrong tree this whole time thought Leo. I should have known all along? ? his voice trailed off. ?Great, now get dressed, eat breakfast, and practice acting as though you have a life threatening cough that will only be cured if we stop pollution. Remember, that?s key to the plan!? Klaus commanded. Leo went and did all those things, putting on his best SL (super Leo) Industrial Revolution costume style Then he went back down to the basement packing a bunch of the renewable energy inventions that Klaus had created into one bag. ?Oh, this will be so much fun I?m so happy that we are seeing eye to eye. Now get in,? Klaus said, clearly excited that his plan was starting off on the right paw. Leo climbed in the time machine. He couldn?t wait to experience going back in time. Klaus hopped in and pushed a button and twisted a dial and at the drop of a hat they were gone.
All the sudden, they appeared in the basement of a coffee shop. Luckily nobody was around to see them. ?Ha ha ha? laughed Klaus ?isn?t this the best thing since sliced bread?? ?I suppose so? responded Leo. ?Wow- Klaus really likes idioms? thought Leo. Then the focus shifted. It was time to execute their plan. They hadn?t traveled back more than 100 years in time to sneak around in basements! ?Come on let?s go upstairs? whispered Klaus. They crept upstairs and found a beautiful cafe. It was decorated in the style of the early 1900?s. It was exactly as it should be. Klaus started walking into the main part of the cafe when Leo whispered ?don?t you need to take off your clothes and get on your paws?? ?What?!?? exclaimed Klaus, confused. ?Take off my clothes! Ohhh right, I?m a dog. I need to act like one. I bet you people in this era wouldn?t know what to make of a dog in human clothing.? As Klaus took off his clothes, Leo noticed the date on the newspaper April 18th ,1905. It was the day the first movie theater came out. This was such an important day that thousands of inventors from all over the world came to the grand opening. ?Are we going to the grand opening?? Asked Leo. ?Yep, that is why we came here today. That?s where we?ll finish off our plan, and end pollution before it gets a chance to start. Come on let?s go? replied Klaus. They quietly left like it was a normal day. Leo was carrying Klaus?s pack. It was surprisingly heavy, likely full of the renewable energy tech that Klaus had engineered to solve the pollution crisis. Finally they arrived at the theater. In front of it was a small stage. ?Ruff, go over to the back stage? open the pack... awhoo... take all of the stuff out... grrr... and set it on the stage... rrrr... then, when everyone arrives... bark... use the notecards to... ruff... present the solar panel,? whispered Klaus, trying his best to sound like a dog. Leo did as was told and prepared himself for the important event.
Thousands of excited people arrived. This was a monumental moment in human history, but for much different reasons than everyone in attendance expected. As the people filed in, they were surprised to see that instead of the inventor standing on stage to celebrate his great creation, there was instead a young cat and his pet dog. There was an initial mumbling amongst the crowd as people dealt with the surprise, but nobody booed Klaus and Leo because all the stuff they had on stage seemed interesting. ?Um hi my name is Leo? he began, ?I have come here today because I am from the future and you guys have to help me stop pollution.? The crowd gasped when a cat spoke, and were left with their mouths?agape when he announced that he was from the future. ?Pollution is caused when we burn carbon based stuff like oil and gas. Humanity is at the beginning of a very dangerous moment in the world?s history. Movies theaters, cars, electricity? eventually we will power our entire world in ways that causes pollution. The pollution 112 years from now is unbearable.? He paused to let his words settle. ?We need to stop pollution because it is making everyone from the future sick. If you don?t believe me, look at these pictures I took. Look at these paintings I made... cough cough.? His cough was fake, but was a nice added touch to convince the crowd of this moment. ?Look at these, look at all the pollution the people of the future are inhaling... LOOK! There is only one way to fix it, and that is with the... cough... and that is with the solar panel! The solar panel takes energy from the sun, converts it into electricity, and transports it to whatever device needs the energy. Now I advise all of the inventors here to take a copy of the blueprint of this solar panel, and work together to make the world better. This is the greatest chance we?ll ever have to fix our future problems. Think of your great-grandchildren. Think of your legacy, and then do the right thing! Good bye and thank you,? Leo said as he started walking off the stage. Everybody went over to look at the blueprints. Leo was so excited to see what the future looked like now that he and Klaus raced back to the time machine and right back to the future.
In the blink of an eye, Leo and Klaus reappeared in the basement of their house. They wasted no time as they went to the tallest building in the city to see the results of their plan. Once they were at the top of the building, they took a deep breath of fresh, unpolluted air. ?It looks like you killed two birds with one stone because now there is no pollution and people are much farther in the future then there supposed to be? whispered Klaus calmly. ?Well I couldn?t do it without you,? responded Leo smiling. He knew, down deep, that the key to solving THIS problem was in his ability to finally accept that he couldn?t solve EVERY problem on his own. ?Since it takes two to tango... will you be my sidekick and make sure that curiosity doesn?t kill this cat?? Asked Leo. ?Sure? responded Klaus. They spent the rest of the afternoon on the building watching the sunset, breathing in the perfectly clean air of their new world. Leo the Super Cat had saved the day yet again? this time with a little help from the least expected place imaginable.
Abou t t h e HS Em pat h y Book Pr oject The grade 5 Literacy Group students published and illustrated these empathy picture books as keep sake gifts for their High School buddies. The grade 5 Literacy Group students conducted several empathy interviews with their High School buddy. These interviews were designed to help the grade 5 students to understand key components of their buddy?s identity, which were captured in these picture books. Prior to the interviews and picture book project, the grade 5 students investigated ?what makes a great story? by closely reading several award-winning picture books. They learned about plot, character development, author ?s craft, and literary devices. The grade 5 Literacy Group students even inquired about a literary device of their choosing, developed a lesson plan for their High School Senior, and then taught the concept through an interactive small group mini-lesson to that senior. Those literary devices made it into these picture books as our students know that, properly employed, they enhance a great story. The grade 5 Literacy Group students should be commended for the energy and enthusiasm poured into these final products. Our hope is that our Nido High School Seniors appreciate the pieces of ?their identity?that our students crafted into their picture books.
Abou t t h e Relat ion sh ip Briana met Leo at high school when the rest of Mr.Jason?s class was being paired with high schoolers. Briana worked with Leo via email or face to face, even though Briana only met with Leo face to face once all of his answers helped her succeed understanding Leo well enough to capture parts of his identity so she could make this book. Briana learned that Leo has a dog, that he likes acting, and that if he was an animal he would be a house cat. If Leo could make the world a better place he would do it by stopping the industrial revolution.We hope that Leo can apply this caring ways to help fight against pollution just like he did in the picture book as he prepares himself for next step in his life.