Greenlee Is Growing

by Anthony DeStefano, Louise A. Ellis (Illustrator)

A beautiful, poetic rhyming picture book celebrating the four seasons and how they interact with the seasons of our lives, from the award-winning, bestselling author of The Donkey That No One Could Ride

We first meet Greenlee as a young girl of three, in the flowering springtime of life. Greenlee Is Growing follows her through the spring of her youth and the summer of her adulthood. By the end of the book, she is a lovely old woman knitting by the fire in the cold days of winter.

Springtime is here! Springtime is here!
Snowstorms are gone and flowers appear.

Summer is here! Summer is here!
The days are much warmer and rainbows appear.

Autumn is here! Autumn is here!
Red, gold, and brown leaves and pumpkins appear.

Winter is here! Winter is here!
The days are much shorter and snowflakes appear.

Brave the harsh weather, don’t be afraid,
the end of the year God also has made.
For beautiful Springtime will be back, and then
new joys and new life will rise up again!

Anthony DeStefano has woven a timeless story of faith and fortitude with gentle joy that people of all ages will love reading.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Family

40 pages, Hardcover

Published February 28, 2023

Reviews

[Sarah]

This book was very much not to my taste. Sing-song-y rhymes are great for young readers but when every season is a full poem it's a lot. The bright colors were lovely, the plants, animals and backgrounds detailed and interesting. Her necklace helps with continuity, so that's something.

The people were... a little like the words, too cutesy. The faces especially were all the same shape, even down to chin tilts in some spreads. Greenlee has long, thick, curly hair and plump cheeks from "spring" until "winter" and stays thin and with appropriately subdued curves her entire adult life.

Because that's totally realistic and doesn't contradict a story about living through life's changes at all. Not my cup of tea, do not recommend.

[Char · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merging the seasons of the year with the “seasons” of life, DeStefano weaves a beautiful story about growing up and growing old. As a graying granny myself, I really appreciate the message of this book. I especially enjoy reading it to my many grandchildren. It widens their understanding of growing old, while providing insight into the lives of their elders, (“You were little like me once, Mimi?!) with lovely verse and beautiful illustrations. I can never read this book just once to a lapful of grandkids…before I finish the last page, there’s a chorus of “Read it again, Mimi!” ❤️

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 2 out of 5]

I accessed digital review copies of this book through NetGalley and Edelweiss.

[Parker Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this simple tale of a young girl going through the seasons of life as a child to an old woman. DeStefano does a marvelous job using the simplicity of rhyme and the changing seasons to reassure that change is inevitable and nothing to do fear. A lovely tale for both children and adults. The illustrations are scrumptious and delightful, giving both parents and children an opportunity to explore the world of Greenlee and match it to their own in vivid detail.