City streets are for people
Description
Congested city streets are noisy and thick with cars and trucks, while pedestrians and cyclists are squeezed to the dangerous edges—but does it have to be this way?
Imagine a city where we aren’t stuck in cars, where clean air makes it easier to breathe, and where transit is easy to access—and on time. Imagine a city where streets are for people!
This fun, accessible and ultimately hopeful book explores sustainable transportation around the globe, including electric vehicles, public transit, bicycles, walking and more. It invites us to conjure up a city of the future, where these modes are all used together to create a place that is sustainable, healthy, accessible and safe.
Includes a list of ideas for children to promote green transportation in their communities, along with a glossary and sources for further reading.
The ThinkCities series is inspired by the urgency for new approaches to city life as a result of climate change, population growth and increased density. It highlights the challenges and risks cities face, but also offers hope for building resilience, sustainability and quality of life as young people advocate for themselves and their communities.
Key Text Features
diagrams
facts
further information
further reading
glossary
historical context
illustrations
labels
resources
references
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.7Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.3Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.6Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.
More Details
Also in this Series
Published Reviews
Booklist Review
Following her informational picture books on urban forests and water, Curtis' third ThinkCities title focuses on sustainable transportation in urban settings. She opens with modern city transportation problems, such as congested roads, air pollution, and traffic accidents, and offers a simple mantra and solution: "City streets are for people!" In order to understand today's urban needs, the author uses short paragraphs to give a brief history of public transportation in cities around the world, from Jerusalem's narrow, twisty streets for walkers only to North America's highway sprawl. The bulk of the volume, however, focuses on global mass transit solutions and opening up spaces and making them safer for pedestrians (including wheelchair users) and bikers. Creative solutions, like cable cars in La Paz, Bolivia, and Dutch trains that run on 100 percent wind power, emphasize the benefits of renewable energy sources. Cheery and busy childlike illustrations not only reflect the expected diversity of cities but also postpandemic life with mask-wearing individuals throughout. Suggestions for readers to promote sustainable transportation conclude this thoughtful book for young environmentalists.
Kirkus Book Review
A kid-friendly look at how urban areas can move away from traffic congestion and fossil-fueled vehicles. In the opening spread, Curtis establishes that city streets pose a challenge for pedestrians and cyclists trying to circumnavigate cars and trucks. Readers learn that vehicles that run on fossil fuels create carbon dioxide, a root cause of climate change and various health problems. The book provides a brief history of urban transportation, from narrow roads for walking to the advent of carriages and wagons to the rise of personal vehicles. It also shows the various forms of public transportation that cities have offered during different eras. Taking a global perspective and using straightforward language, Curtis outlines the changes cities are making in order to balance the needs of people and motorists and reclaim public spaces: creating more bike lanes, regulating vehicles, and making public transportation more reliable, affordable, safe, and convenient. Lively hand-sketched illustrations with both traditional and digital coloring offer panoramic views of disparate cities teeming with a diverse array of people, including some wearing surgical masks. Included in the backmatter are steps--some practical, others more aspirational--kids can take to promote sustainable transportation. (This book was reviewed digitally.) An empowering look at reclaiming urban areas from vehicles for a better quality of life and a greener future. (glossary, sources) (Informational picture book. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Reviews
Following her informational picture books on urban forests and water, Curtis' third ThinkCities title focuses on sustainable transportation in urban settings. She opens with modern city transportation problems, such as congested roads, air pollution, and traffic accidents, and offers a simple mantra and solution: "City streets are for people!" In order to understand today's urban needs, the author uses short paragraphs to give a brief history of public transportation in cities around the world, from Jerusalem's narrow, twisty streets for walkers only to North America's highway sprawl. The bulk of the volume, however, focuses on global mass transit solutions and opening up spaces and making them safer for pedestrians (including wheelchair users) and bikers. Creative solutions, like cable cars in La Paz, Bolivia, and Dutch trains that run on 100 percent wind power, emphasize the benefits of renewable energy sources. Cheery and busy childlike illustrations not only reflect the expected diversity of cities but also postpandemic life with mask-wearing individuals throughout. Suggestions for readers to promote sustainable transportation conclude this thoughtful book for young environmentalists. Grades 3-6. Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.