I’m sharing another Perfect Picture Book that I discovered during my bookshop-hopping days in New York City. Enjoy!
Title: Greenlight
Written & Illustrated By: Breanna Carzoo
Publisher/Date: HarperCollins Children’s Books/2023
Suitable for Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: shining, talents, self-esteem, traffic lights, loneliness, humor
Opening:
Hi there! Helloooo!
I know the cars are cool…
but I’m over here!
My name is Greenlight, and I’m…
Brief Synopsis: As soon as Greenlight shines, all of the cars race away, leaving her alone and feeling unloved.
Links to Resources:
- Download the Greenlight activity pages;
- Try some activities you can do alone, like reading, walking a pet [note: my pups do not consider this a solo activity], coloring, or playing with Legos;
- Learn how to stay safe in traffic and near streets.
Why I Like this Book:
Everyone knows that Greenlights can’t speak, that they don’t have feelings. Or do they? If a Fire Hydrant can speak and have feelings, can’t a Greenlight, too? A child, or an adult with child-like sensibilities, certainly can believe that both Greenlights and Fire Hydrants can speak and feel emotions. And if they believe, they’re sure to enjoy this story from the creator of Lou and The Squish.
In Greenlight, Carzoo shows kids that it’s ok to shine our lights, to use our talents and be ourselves, even if no one pays attention to us or even if everyone abandons us. Like a traffic light that signals when drivers should stop or go, the world needs us and our talents. And even without others, we need to shine, to feel and be our best for our own self-esteem.
With bright, cut-paper illustrations and all-dialogue text, Carzoo reminds kids that everyone is important, and that we can decide how and when to shine. Great reminders for readers of all ages!
A Note about Craft:
The main, and only, character in Greenlight is Greenlight. The text is a monologue, with Greenlight addressing herself and the reader. Greenlight is a perfect mentor text for anyone who contemplates writing a picture book from the point-of-view of an inanimate object, especially if they hope to do so using only dialogue.
This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!
Wander, Ponder, Write 