Cityblock (An Abrams Block Book)

by Christopher Franceschelli, Peski Studio (Illustrator)

Overview

STARRED REVIEW *“A big urban adventure in a small package.” ―Publishers Weekly
STARRED REVIEW *“Will delight young readers and grown-ups.” ―School Library Journal

From high up in a skyscraper to far below the ground in the subway, young readers will explore city life in a brand-new way in this fun addition to the Abrams Block Book series! Divided into three sections—things that go, things to see, and things to eat—Cityblock features 24 different aspects of city living. Kids who live in, visit, or dream about New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, St. Louis, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and more will love getting to know how cities work from top to bottom.

Like the previous books in the series, Cityblock has die-cut shapes on every spread and durable, interactive fold-out pages, perfect for little hands. Each section opens with a full city scene but gradually focuses in on the small, unique neighborhoods that make the city special.

This clever book will attract young readers living in urban hubs and suburbia alike with its bright, animated, retro-inspired artwork by Peski Studio. This is a must-have book for the little city slicker in your family.

Collect the whole series:

Alphablock
Countablock
Dinoblock
Cityblock
Buildablock
Star Wars Block
Marvel Alphablock
Farmblock
Disney Block
Loveblock
Sharkblock
Sesame Street Countablock
Spaceblock
Pixar Buddy Block
Bugblock

Also available: A BOX OF BLOCKS, featuring Alphablock, Countablock, and Dinoblock.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419721892
Publisher:	Abrams Appleseed
Publication date:	09/06/2016
Series:	An Abrams Block Book
Pages:	96
Sales rank:	240,086
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 6.25(h) x 2.00(d)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Christopher Franceschelli is a seasoned publisher, editor, and creator of children’s books. He runs Chronicle’s Handprint imprint and the SmartInk packaging company. A born-and-raised New Yorker, Franceschelli lives with his family in Brooklyn. David Partington is an illustrator based in Bristol, UK. His influences range from mid-century design to Saturday morning cartoons. As part of Peski Studio (formerly Peskimo) he enjoys screen printing, a process which often informs his approach to illustration. David’s work can be seen in kids’ books, food packaging, and jumbo floor puzzles around the world. He especially enjoys creating characters, drawing friendly robots, and sending them on incredible adventures.

Editorial Reviews

★ 08/22/2016
Franceschelli celebrates the sights, tastes, and vehicles of the city in this follow-up to Alphablock, Countablock, and Dinoblock, again illustrated by British design team Peskimo. Clever, well-designed die-cuts bring readers deeper into each scene while creating a guessing game to participate in: often, large die-cut objects in the foreground (a soccer ball, a pair of chopsticks) swing out of the way to reveal their locations (the stadium, a Japanese restaurant). As readers follow an elderly man and two children around town, they get a taste of crowded subways, all manner of street food, and multiple ways to see the city, including from a helicopter. It’s a big urban adventure in a small package. Ages 3–5. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

**STARRED REVIEW**
"A big urban adventure in a small package."—Publishers Weekly

"Children in urban settings will recognize this city's feel, while suburban or rural children will be equally happy to join in the adventure."—Kirkus

**STARRED REVIEW**
"This cleverly designed board book will delight young readers and grown-ups alike." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

★ 11/01/2016
PreS-Gr 1—This cleverly designed board book will delight young readers and grown-ups alike. Readers accompany a grandfather and his two children as they explore the big city via various modes of transportation at street level and aboveground and belowground. Peskimo's vivid palette and playful cartoon art bring the metropolis and all of its diverse inhabitants to life. Cutout shapes and varied peek-through designs allow children to predict what will be revealed on the following page. The simple text and accompanying illustrations make this an excellent choice for beginning readers or as a read-aloud. City kids will be able to relate to their familiar sights, sounds, and landmarks, and this makes a fine introduction for rural and suburban children, who can make comparisons to their towns. VERDICT A wonderful addition to any preschool collection.—Maria Alegre, The Dalton School, New York City

School Library Journal

2016-08-30
The latest addition to Franceschelli and Peskimo's (Dinoblock, 2015, etc.) collection of very thick board books exploits all the possibilities of the format. The initial foldouts reveal a question—"How will we get around?"—and hint at modes of transportation to come: subway, taxi, bus, ferry, foot, and helicopter. That would be enough for most board books, but the story continues with "What can we do?" and "What should we eat?" before the final 20-inch panorama of the city at night. Along the way, the design team Peskimo varies its retro palette depending on the image. A carousel is bright and lively, while the view from an observatory is more muted. Shades of blue and turquoise on almost every page act as a visual throughline, and die cuts keep young children turning the pages. The story follows a white-haired, spectacled elder (who looks rather like Albert Einstein) and two children—one white, one brown—through a busy day in a diverse city. They visit dinosaurs in a natural history museum, a soccer game, a flea market, and more. That they visit a bookstore instead of a library and shop for souvenirs suggest that perhaps they are tourists. Their day's menu includes common treats: an apple, pizza, nachos, sushi, and ice cream. Children in urban settings will recognize this city's feel, while suburban or rural children will be equally happy to join in the adventure. (Board book. 1-4)

Kirkus Reviews