Strolling in the City: Picture Books that Capture the Beauty of Cities

Recommendations from bookseller Leigh

"Windows by Julia Denos and E. B. Goodale is one of my favorite recent picture books because it beautifully captures the magic and mystery of taking a walk in the city. Here's a list of picture books that will inspire young readers to get outside for an urban hike--while social distancing, of course!"

 

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Windows By Julia Denos, E. B. Goodale (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Julia Denos, E. B. Goodale (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9780763690359
Availability: On Our Shelves Now (Subject to Availability)
Published: Candlewick - October 17th, 2017

Walking his dog at dusk, one boy catches glimpses of the lives around him in this lovely ode to autumn evenings, exploring your neighborhood, and coming home.


Daniel Finds a Poem By Micha Archer (Illustrator), Micha Archer Cover Image
By Micha Archer (Illustrator), Micha Archer
$18.99
ISBN: 9780399169137
Availability: On Our Shelves Now (Subject to Availability)
Published: Nancy Paulsen Books - February 16th, 2016

Stunning collage art full of rich color, glorious details, and a sense of wonder—reminiscent of the work of Ezra Jack Keats—illustrate this delightful story celebrating the poetry found in the world around us.
 


City Moon By Rachael Cole, Blanca Gómez (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Rachael Cole, Blanca Gómez (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9780553497076
Availability: Unavailable to Order
Published: Random House Studio - September 19th, 2017

A little boy and his mother take a nighttime walk to search for the moon in this Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor book. Gentle and keenly observed, this bedtime story is sure to appeal to fans of Kevin Henkes's Kitten's First Full Moon and young children who find the moon fascinating.


Nana in the City: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner By Lauren Castillo, Lauren Castillo (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Lauren Castillo, Lauren Castillo (Illustrator)
$19.99
ISBN: 9780544104433
Availability: Usually Ships from Wholesaler in 1-5 Days
Published: Clarion Books - September 2nd, 2014

A Caldecott Honor Book * A Huffington Post Best Picture Book about Family  * An NYPL 100 Books for Reading and Sharing  * A 100 Scope Notes Top 20 Book of the Year


Ask Me By Bernard Waber, Suzy Lee (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Bernard Waber, Suzy Lee (Illustrator)
$16.99
ISBN: 9780547733944
Availability: Usually Ships from Wholesaler in 1-5 Days
Published: Clarion Books - July 14th, 2015

Ask me what I like?

What do you like?

A father and daughter walk through their neighborhood, brimming with questions as they explore their world. With so many things to enjoy, and so many ways to ask—and talk—about them, it's a snapshot of an ordinary day in a world that's anything but.


Symphony City By Amy Martin Cover Image
$17.95
ISBN: 9781936365395
Availability: Unavailable to Order
Published: McSweeney's - July 19th, 2011

In Symphony City, a young girl, lost in a big city, makes her way home by following the rich and vibrant music of the streets. Bursting with bright colors and narrated in lively, staccato phrases, Amy Martin's debut children's book is at once a sweeping page-turner and a book that makes you want to stop and pore over every page.


I Got the Rhythm By Connie Schofield-Morrison, Frank Morrison (Illustrator), Connie Schofield-Morrison (Text by) Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781619631786
Availability: Usually Ships from Wholesaler in 1-5 Days
Published: Bloomsbury USA Childrens - June 3rd, 2014

On a simple trip to the park, the joy of music overtakes a mother and daughter. The little girl hears a rhythm coming from the world around her- from butterflies, to street performers, to ice cream sellers everything is musical! She sniffs, snaps, and shakes her way into the heart of the beat, finally busting out in an impromptu dance, which all the kids join in on!