Candace Ryan

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I thought Red Light, Green Lion offered a unique perspective that children will be able to relate to. The story talks about being prepared on any given day, because you never know what will happen. Our days can be full of surprises, beauty, and kindness, but they can also leave us feeling down and discouraged. I like that this story touches on both possibilities.

Red Light, Green Lion covers a lot of topics with simple sentences that convey a deeper meaning. "Some days, everything slows down, and we may feel stuck. Those are good times to be still and think." Every day has the potential to be amazing, but some days will be harder than others. Our perspective can play a large role in determining the outcome.

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on January 24, 2019.… (mer)

"Some days, the most surprising things can happen while you're waiting for the light to change." (flap copy)

A serene green lion subverts the expected "Red light, green light" phrase right away ("Red light, green lion"). Each page repeats this pattern, with "Red light, green li-" before the page turn, revealing the word on the next page (library books, lilac, lifeboat, lightning bugs, lima beans, etc.), with pastel and brush pen illustrations on a white background bringing the text to life. No matter how strange the situation gets, kindness is always a good choice, and it usually makes sense in the end.

An absolute hit with the almost-4yo! She giggled like mad over the lima beans.… (mer)