If You Were a City - by Kyo Maclear (Hardcover)

About the Book

A city can be many things: quiet and dreamy or buzzing with excitement, and this picture book explores them all--and celebrates the people who live in them.

Book Synopsis

A colorful celebration of cities and the people living in them.

Just like people, there are so many ways a city can be. And this lively picture book explores all of them. From quiet and dreamy to bright and buzzing, the magnificent diversity of our world is celebrated by connecting the uniqueness of its places with the people who live in them. Wild, gritty, bookish, or sheltering--if you were a city, how would YOU be?

CELEBRATING CITIES AND PEOPLE: Vivid illustrations introduce readers to cities and their citizens across the globe.

A FUN READ-ALOUD: Kyo Maclear is an acclaimed writer for all ages. Her lively text is perfect for reading aloud both at home and at school.

A FRESH WAY TO THINK ABOUT OURSELVES: Sometimes it can be hard to come up with the right words to describe who we are and how we feel. This thought-provoking book gives readers a new way to think about themselves and to express their identities.

Perfect for:

• Parents
• Grandparents
• Gift-givers
• Educators

Review Quotes

"Full-page vibrant illustrations will draw readers in to explore similarities and differences between the cities -portrayed and, perhaps, the cities they have experienced .... readers are encouraged to consider what traits of a city they find most important through the rhythmic and soothing text."- School Library Journal

"It's a dreamy look at individuality and imagination that centers intriguing visual juxtapositions." - Publishers Weekly

"[If You Were a City is] a joyful and thoughtful exploration of the world and its communities, threaded with hope for the future." -Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Kyo Maclear (kyō 京 means "capital city" in Japanese) was born in London and spent her childhood summers in Tokyo. She now lives with her family in Toronto (originating from the Mohawk word "Tkaranto") where she writes books for all ages and dreams of big, beautiful cities created by--and for--everybody.

Francesca Sanna grew up in Cagliari, a small, sunny city by the sea on the island of Sardinia, and currently lives in Zurich, a bigger, cloudy city by the mountains. Before becoming an illustrator, she received her bachelor's degree in architecture. She learned that cities are made by people and that people are made by the cities they live in, which is how she came to love to draw, visit, and live in cities.