Greenlight

by Breanna Carzoo

Meet Greenlight! Greenlight has an important job to do, but every time it’s her turn to shine . . . everyone drives away! The cars stop for Redlight and slow for Yellowlight, so why do they leave Greenlight all alone? When Greenlight decides to stop shining altogether, will she be able to find the power and connection of her own light? From Breanna Carzoo, creator of Lou , comes a sweet and poignant story that reminds us all that the world is waiting for us to shine, so when you’re ready . . . Ready . . . Set . . .  

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Childrens, Transport, Self Esteem, Emotion, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

Published July 18, 2023

Reviews

[Sam Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

pre-k thru second grade, approachable exploration of differences and self-esteem being internally generated

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this as part of a transportation theme and the kids I read it to seemed to enjoy it! I liked the concept of the greenlight not understanding why cars always leave him when he turns green, and how he feels alone, even though he's not really alone (since there is yellow light and redlight with him). Ending was sweet and the illustrations are cute for a traffic light. Didn't think traffic lights could be cute!

[Arlene Abundis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartfelt picture book about rejection and finding your way. Will never see a traffic light, especially green, the same way again! Read it for bedtime last night and my little one woke up saying, “It’s my time to shine!“

[Ollie Skyba · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gem! I never stopped to wonder how a green light feels, always being rushed past, never truly seen.
This story is clever, tender, and unexpectedly moving; it makes you pause and appreciate the quiet ones who keep things going.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Traffic light feelings.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book with an amazing message for kids (and honestly even adults). It’s an incredibly important and powerful message about self-acceptance and self-love. It’s told in such a thoughtful way as well. Other people can see you a certain way (for example, I love a green light), but you have to shine for you.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple book about a greenlight that teaches self-love and taking your time to shine.

[Angela De Groot · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely reminder to readers that they’re self-worth shouldn’t depend on the opinions of others. And that sometime you just need some peace and quiet, some thinking time, to know who you are and to shine in your own special way. I love the irony in this story. That greenlight feels unpopular because nobody hangs around but really greenlight is the most popular of the traffic light colors. Sweet story.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is absolutely brilliant. I LOVE it! How funny that green light is worried others don’t like her because they don’t slow down and stop for green like they do for yellow and red.
I love the character arc too. Such a great book.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

The perspective of a lonely greenlight on a traffic signal is explored in this cute and silly book. The illustrations and expressions are a lot of fun.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a bit of a philosophical book... you know how it goes. Traffic lights can be a bit of a pain sometimes. But this book is told from the perspective of green light who has a bit of an identity crisis. People stop when they see red. And they slow down for yellow. But for green? They just GO! Greenlight just is not sure that it's all worth it - but he's really focused on what others thing about him rather. After a bit of introspection, he decides that what HE thinks is really more important than what everyone else thinks. Of course, by the time he comes to this conclusion -- there is a LONG line of traffic waiting at his light.
It's a thought-provoking book. How much do you value the opinion of others over your own? And, of course, it's just fun to learn about traffic lights.

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

A self-empowering Streetlight figures out life. A gentle comedy. I enjoyed the little go light. Green light shines and everyone leaves. They feel like no one likes it. It has a crisis of self-worth and goes inside and figures out that it has to be itself and not let others define it. Huge life lesson. Big stuff.

The humor can be a little subtle and it's just a fun story. Green light let's it's light shine and everyone runs away. How heartbreaking. How funny since that' it's job. I've never thought to anthropomorphize a green light.

The artwork is nice. Sort of minimal, but just right. It looks digital to me. It's very colorful and bright.

Young kids will enjoy this.

[Mark Pittenger · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 4 year old grandson absolutely loves this book, I'm guessing mostly because of the pictures... but... it's definitely not one I enjoy reading over and over again. Some kids books are just easy to read and you love to read them over and over, this one was not that for me... too many stops and starts (no pun intended) and not enough flow to be an easy read. Missing a few words in my opinion that would make it a little easier for younger kids to understand and a bit more fun to read. There's some nuance to the story that kids just wont understand, but at the end of the day we are just trying to instill a love of reading so its a win.

[Agata · Rating 1 out of 5]

A book to teach 4-8 year olds to be unhappy and depressed for no good reason and distorted thinking (how to think that everyone hates them if they're left alone for a few minutes) under the guise of cute graphics.
Seriously, kids this young don't think that way yet. They don't "struggle" & don't need to learn distorted thinking about themselves.
The book supposedly teaches them to change their thinking to be positive, but how about we don't introduce them to negative thinking this early in the first place?

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been waiting for my hold at the library to come in for so long! I love Lou and couldn't wait to find out what Breanna Carzoo did with Greenlight. I was not disappointed!! Greenlight doesn't understand why no one likes him, "It's like they can't get away from me fast enough." But in the end Greenlight realizes that it doesn't matter what other people think. "I know I'm bright...I know I'm sparkly...I know I'm spectacular. And I want to shine!" Ugh! So stinking cute!!

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

The green traffic light is frustrated because no cars stop for the green light. They stop for the red and slow down for yellow, but they run away from green. So green light closes their eyes and discovers peace and quiet. They work on positive self talk and eventually decide that it doesn't matter if the cars don't like green light; green light likes itself.

I get the point but it's confusing.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um. Greenlight is the one all the cars love best and it seems odd they don't know that. And they can't choose not to shine, either. But this still manages to be a delightful book and I'm sure you will only need to verify that your child understands the metaphor and doesn't take it literally.

I do like the dedication: "To you: the world is waiting to see you shine. Take your time. You'll know when you're ready."

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accolades to this author illustrator for showing the art of cut paper collage can be used to show many styles of that art. Most collage fills the pages, but here I. Carzoo’s work we see plenty of white space. Also read carefully and one will see Lou from her first title in one of the illustrations. I will always chuckle at green lights having read this title.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. I loved that Green light never hears from other people that he is really the favorite light; he learns to sit with himself and come up with an accurate perception of himself. Sometimes kids don't make friends, they don't receive positive feedback, and they still need to look inside and form opinions about themselves. I think this is a good book to help kids do that.

[Amy Oberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid 3.5 rating

Publication Date: 2023
Format: Picture book
Elements: Bold illustrations with a complementary print typeface
Connection/Topics: 2 levels - "literal": transportation, traffic lights, colors; "figurative": self-acceptance, social emotional learning; personification, metaphor

Accompanying activities posted at https://www.breannacarzoo.com/

[Lauren Keller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this socio-emotional book! Breanna Carzoo is a master at teaching without preaching. Greenlight my favorite of her first three (Lou, Greenlight, and the squish). The message of sharing your gifts because they bring you joy, not because someone else will appreciate them is universal. I’d recommend this on the shelf if adults and kids alike.

[Kelly]

What a great idea! How would you feel if every time you lit up (or the human equivalent), people ran away from you? That's what's considered here. But can you feel special on the inside regardless of what others do? The illustrations are so simple, but the story idea is great.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this series of random personified neighborhood objects quite a bit. Kids see these things around them all the time and it makes it easy to have these SEL conversations about things like traffic lights. The illustrations are fun and vibrant and very young kid friendly.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm obsessed with this book. It has a great message about self image and even mindfulness.
-cute illustrations
-fun to give to car loving kids that might be ready for something else
-good pacing for preschool or school-aged story time

[Lee Alford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I work at a library and we have only had this book on our shelves for like one month, but I have shelved it almost 10 times in the last two weeks. It is worth the hype. This little light is so cute. Requested we buy her other book Lou as well :)

[Kenzie Dye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book. It’s a cute story about a green light feeling left out because everyone tries to get away as soon as he shines. He eventually realizes he does have a purpose and I think students would really enjoy this book. Would definitely want to bring into the classroom.

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate the concept of the green light shining bright, but the text and storytime just don't come together in a relatable book for storytimes/littles.

Themes: transportation, colors
Ages: preK-1st grade
Pub year: 2023

[Brindi Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

this would be a super fun program-based book :)

[GS Dachslove · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little cheesy. Maybe good for a school visit/read aloud with red light green light game.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, heartfelt story touching upon self-acceptance and gaining confidence.