This Is Our City [Hardcover]

In this companion to This Is a Window, the power of children’s imaginations returns to center stage—this time in a shared backyard, where kids run a make-believe city full of hustle and bustle.

Welcome to Cat Pine Falls, a charming make-believe city made by kids, in their shared backyard! Here, pinecones are currency, the trees are tall skyscrapers for business up high, and a handy kid-run subway line zips between all the unmissable action. Young listeners will delight in eureka moments sparked by the delightfully imaginative pairing of words and pictures: the “carwash” is really a willow tree, the “café” is really an overturned kiddie pool, and more. As they follow along, kids will love being on the lookout for the Mayor of Cat Pine Falls— a cat! —who is expertly hidden on every spread of gorgeous, collage-style art.

With satisfying rhymes that make for a sweet read-aloud, here’s a story that will delight kids, creative-minded parents, and childcare professionals alike, encouraging kids to create community through a shared imaginative playtime. Few stories capture the joy of playing pretend in such a simple, direct way as this immensely charming book, perfect for reading aloud or independent exploration. —School Library Journal

In this follow-up to This Is a Window (2024), a backyard is transformed into a vibrant city as a group of children come together for a day of play... Conrad ably conveys children’s limitless creativity: Acorns become currency, a flipped-over kiddie pool turns into a table at a cafe, trees serve as skyscrapers, and the dangly branches of a weeping willow act as a car wash. Each illustration feels like a freeze frame from an actual day. Consisting largely of simple shapes aló)