Pajama Press

School Library Journal 

“This comprehensive and invitingly designed book beckons readers to explore the phenomenon of the modern city in a wide range of societies throughout the world….On each page, comprehensively detailed digital illustrations bring the topics to life, moving seamlessly between colorful spreads and overhead diagrams. The design of the text enhances the presentation, with paragraphs thoughtfully laid out on brick walls, lakes, and clouds of smoke. As explained in the introduction and conclusion, the creators seek to foster an understanding of cities (home to half of the world’s population) as a vital element of the global community—a worthy goal for young citizens everywhere….An excellent addition to nonfiction collections.”

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Booklist

“This engaging tome introduces middle-grade readers to various aspects of cities….The accessible text is accompanied by colorful graphics, including oversize fonts, information bubbles, diagrams, cutaways, maps, and many busy two-page spreads filled with diverse city dwellers going about their daily activities. The book takes a global view, citing examples from all over the world and from different times in history. Another highlighted theme is the emphasis on ecological sustainability and earth-friendly development….This visual treat will be useful for research projects and should also catch the attention of browsers.”

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Kirkus Reviews

“Almost 70% of us will live in a city by 2050, so our urban past, present, and future are topics of interest. Good questions are posed in this book translated from French, beginning with where and when cities were first constructed…”

Quill & Quire 

“Translated from the French (J’aime ma ville), I Love My City, a nonfiction STEM title, explores every facet of cities: history and evolution, planning and organization, special services, unique architecture, and diverse cultures….Current issues are addressed with such topics as sustainable design, recycling programs, and the preservation of historic buildings….Yves Dumont, a Montreal artist, beautifully showcases the allure of city life with colourful and appealing scenes. The artwork depicts vibrant architecture (from tipis and palaces to skyscrapers and bridges), throngs of citizens, plans for garden cities (today’s suburbs), transportation networks, green spaces, culture, and more. Technical drawings are integral to understanding city water, sanitation, and energy systems….I Love My City will prompt deeper learning by encouraging kids to think globally, explore on foot, and participate actively in shaping their city.”

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CM Magazine

“I Love My City is a hands down winner. As it claims, it is a book about everything urban with examples drawn from around the world, beginning with the oldest known city, Jericho in Palestine, and extending to look at future city designs, such as sustainable development….The words of authors France Desmarais and Richard Adam are translated into a fluent and comprehensible text by Nicholas Aumais. Colourful illustrations by Yves Dumont fill the pages with lively characters, a variety of types of architecture, and diagrams that portray the complex systems of urban life. The illustrations are always continuous across the double page spread, helping the reader see the connections….There is nothing to not like about I Love My City….The title does not do justice to the valuable information presented in a very accessible format within the pages….Get your hands on this edition of I Love My City now. Your “curious kids” will thank you. Highly Recommended”

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Montreal Review of Books 

“If you’ve ever wondered how city water is filtered or how cities are governed, this book will give you the facts. To inspire a conversation with young readers about the role cities can play in curbing climate change, the authors focus on sustainability, renewable energy, and improved waste management. Yves Dumont’s Busytown-esque illustrations help visual learners get the picture….city-curious kids will learn a lot.”

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The International Educator

“What kind of buildings and public services do cities need, including clean water and safety measures. How can we make cities sustainable, recycle and supply green spaces? This book answers all of these questions and many more. A fun and interesting resource for budding engineers and users of cities anywhere.”

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YA Books Central 

“I Love My City is an informative non-fiction picture book that details how a city goes from concept to creation. The pages are jam-packed with what steps need to occur for a city to develop. There are many things to consider when creating a city from public services to traffic and this book delves into it all….The colorful illustrations are the perfect balance to all of the detailed text.

This book is a fantastic resource for readers who want to learn more about what is involved in developing a city.”

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Storytime with Stephanie

“Cities are places that are fast paced, jam packed and full of diversity. For those wanting to know more about cities, I Love My City by France Desmarais, Richard Adam and Yves Dumont contains anything you ever wanted to know about cities and how they operate.

Through historical facts and current practices, authors France Desmarais and Richard Adam bestow a wealth of knowledge about cities upon the reader….It’s comprehensive and general so that readers in any part of the world can gain more understanding about the places where large segments of the population live and work.

I like that the book is straightforward and very factual….I can see this book being used in a school setting where readers are learning about urban environments….The open-endedness of the information allows readers to take in the information and apply it to their own location wherever they are in the world and allows for comparison between cities and urban and rural settings….Yves Dumont’s illustrations add colour and interest to the book….I love the cross sections of city waste and water services, the colourful buildings and the city dwellers…”

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CanLit for LittleCanadians 

“In a well-organized and comprehensive story, France Desmarais and Richard Adam explain how and where cities were first established. They cover the different types of cities across the globe, from favelas to megacities. They also look within those cities for those who manage cities, from City Halls to urban planners and all the services needed to ensure functioning hubs. Water filtration, wastewater systems, renewable and non-renewable sources of energy, and transportation are all covered in some depth but never so expansive that the reader will bore or get lost….Beyond the content, though, are Yves Dumont’s illustrations that show the breadth of cities through time and space. Whether it’s the plans of cities to integrate all housing, transport and services, or stylized depictions of power plants, or busy couriers on bikes and commuters on public transport, Montreal’s Yves Dumont brings cities to life. He gives them colour and motion, purpose and serenity. He makes them everything to everyone, just as are the cities which have evolved in our world.

Teachers don’t need to wait until World Cities Day (October 31) to use I Love My City in their classrooms. With discussions from history and civics, architecture and energy, I Love My City will be a useful teaching tool and readable book of non-fiction for young readers every day of the year.”

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Sal’s Fiction Addiction

“The design is inviting, the information reliable and relevant, the organization top-notch, and the timeline for the life of cities quite a remarkable history. The cities chosen to present are found worldwide, and offer a timeline from the oldest known city to an idea for what the future might hold in terms of urbanization….There is a lot of information for middle grade readers here, and it is written in such a way as to make it accessible to those who want to know more about urban development….This will be very useful in classrooms studying urban planning and how cities work, and in all nonfiction collections.”

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Jill’s Book Blog 

“I loved the illustrations, which included real places around the world and people from all ages and races. I Love My City is a fascinating book about cities.”

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