City of Neighbors

The thought-provoking “ThinkCities” nonfiction picture book series is inspired by “the urgency for new approaches to sustainable urban life.” City of Neighbors, the latest entry following City Streets Are for People, A Forest in the City, and City of Water, explores the magic that happens when individuals work together to create welcoming communities.

Award-winning author Andrea Curtis ponders, “What can we do together to make our neighborhoods great?” Clearly written passages define and explain the participatory process of placemaking (“When people set out to improve city spaces with creativity, inclusiveness and a sense of fun”). The well-written text references and honours Indigenous people as the original placemakers, deeply connected to their environment. Urban thinkers who championed a community-based approach to city building, like Jane Jacobs and William H. Whyte, are briefly introduced.

Neighborhoods are one of the “most important building blocks of cities”, and Curtis leads a leisurely and informative stroll through community-building initiatives around the world. The Public Bench Project in San Francisco, California intentionally brings people together with something as seemingly simple as having a nice place to sit. A little splash of paint and a bit of colour can make a big difference. For example, when a busy intersection in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was painted bright blue and decorated with flowerpots, residents could cross the street more safely. In Birmingham, England, pianos placed throughout the city streets led to impromptu citizen concerts. Libraries are community hubs, and, in Tel Aviv, Israel, an open-air Garden Library in the middle of a park welcomes patrons.

Like chatting with a friend, the narrative is lively and interesting. Descriptions of a fantastical playground in Toyko, Japan, sing with genuine enthusiasm: “3,000-plus recycled tires have been hauled in to build swings, bridges, climbers and two enormous Godzilla-like monsters!” Other bright ideas highlighted include the transformation of a gloomy alley in Athens, Greece, into a spectacular “light ceiling” decorated with donated old light fixtures and lampshades. At night, a public washroom in Tokyo, Japan, “lights up the park like a gleaming lantern” with see-through glass, and, when the door is locked, the windows become frosted for privacy.

Katy Dockrill’s inviting brush-and-ink illustrations show diverse communities around the world, all actively engaged in turning the place they call home into a space that’s more fun to live for everyone: kids wave from lemonade stands, families tend to community gardens, and apartment dwellers have neighborly balcony conversations. Expansive scenes fill the pages and enhance the text in a playful manner. For example, an illustration of the bronze sculpture by Singapore artist Chong Fah Cheong of five boys jumping into the river cleverly blends into the text that appears as though the words are in a blue pool of water.

A concluding double-page spread entitled “Take your place!” offers some encouraging suggestions on how readers can get involved in revitalizing their own neighborhood, from practical (“Define your goal”) to inspirational (“Start small but dream big!”). A glossary and list of recommended online and print resources for youth and adult readers offer further insight.

City of Neighbors is an outstanding narrative nonfiction book to inspire community action and galvanize positive change.