If You Were a City

August 1, 2022
Take a tour of the cities of the world without leaving your home. Kyo, the author's first name, means "capital city," and she begins and ends this story with the question: "If you were a city, / how would you be?" Each spread contains a short rhyming verse and bold illustrations of cities and diverse people as readers are taken around the world to help answer that question. Perhaps the city would be "bookish, proud, / but slightly leaning" (paired with an image of a light-skinned person standing against the Leaning Tower of Pisa) or maybe it would be "shiny, glassy, / sleek, and tall." It could even be a new city, "a dream city," in the imagination of architects or one that leaves "room for nest / and lair" for animals. Both words and visuals work to create positive energy, the one exception being people leaving a "broken city." The other characters look cheerful, shown in both quiet activities like stargazing as well as "biking, / scooting, / walking," and enjoying a nighttime wheelchair basketball game. The detailed illustrations vary--some spreads contain multiple panels with bright white borders, while others feature a single scene that bleeds to the page's edge. The image of a brown-skinned child creating a literal safe harbor with their arms is particularly effective. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A joyful and thoughtful exploration of the world and its communities, threaded with hope for the future. (Picture book. 4-8)

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September 26, 2022
Maclear’s cheerful series of rhymed queries beckons readers to consider the characteristics of an inviting, livable city. On an opening spread, two children with eyes closed ponder the question, “If you were a city,/ how would you be?” as geometric shapes rain down around them. A page-turn later, “Would you be bookish, proud, but slightly leaning?” accompanies the image of a plaid-jacketed figure mimicking the Leaning Tower of Pisa, while “Buzzing, bright, and magic-seeming?” attends a star-strewn skyscape and sand-colored buildings towering over a canopied night bazaar. Subsequent pages propose myriad possibilities, some generalizing about pretend environments, others specifically conjuring real locales easily identified in Francesca’s jam-packed, vector-style illustrations, which portray individuals of varying abilities, ages, and skin tones. It’s a dreamy look at individuality and imagination that centers intriguing visual juxtapositions. Ages 3–5.

October 1, 2022

K-Gr 3-"If you were a city, how would you be? Would you be bookish, proud, but slightly leaning, buzzing, bright, and magic-seeming?" Maclear invites readers to travel the world from the comfort of an armchair and explore famous cities across the globe. Full-page vibrant illustrations will draw readers in to explore similarities and differences between the cities portrayed and, perhaps, the cities they have experienced. Children of various skin tones and nationalities are presented and celebrated; readers are encouraged to consider what traits of a city they find most important through the rhythmic and soothing text. A minor criticism is that the cities are not identified, which comes in the way of children fully grasping the book's concept. The metaphor is a strong one; adult guidance may see it through. VERDICT An optional yet enjoyable purchase for libraries looking to bolster their collection of picture books celebrating cities around the world.-Katherine Forsman

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