Building Manhattan
Kindergarten-Grade 4—"Long ago, before maps or words were used, a little island formed." This engaging picture book traces the dramatic changes that Manhattan has undergone through the centuries as animals, people, and buildings have filled it in different ways. Each spread jumps to a new era, with a sentence or two to describe the period and pictures that reveal much more. The art is rendered in a folk-art style, with purposeful shifts in line, perspective, and composition that give each spread a distinct feel. Strong vertical lines capture the "skinny row houses" of 100 years ago, sweeping curves show the arrival of more and more people in the mid-20th century, and a bird's-eye view of modern skyscrapers shows how "it grew and it grew and people still come." Though conditions change, every scene conveys excitement and wonder at the ever-changing, always-busy island. The broad tableaux include smaller details that fill in some intriguing specifics from each period, such as the mixture of automobiles and horse-drawn vehicles crossing the Brooklyn Bridge in 1909 and the many historical people and events represented on an 18th-century quilt. Sharp eyes will also spot a ubiquitous pair of mice. A time line provides further background, including dates, for each illustration. This is an effective visual presentation that introduces the history of Manhattan and also explores how places change over time.—Steven Engelfried, Multnomah County Library, ORCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.